2009 Los Angeles Acting Schools and Coaches

The following individuals or companies specialize in one-on-one acting coaching. Private coaching is also available from the majority of those listed in the "Acting Schools and Classes" category.

ACTING COACHING

The following individuals or companies specialize in one-on-one acting coaching. Private coaching is also available from the majority of those listed in the "Acting Schools and Classes" category. Coaches in other specialties, such as musical theatre, voiceover, or young performers, are listed in those categories.

JULES AARON

(323) 660-7342

Aaron, the former head of of graduate programs at CalArts and U.C. Riverside, is an award-winning director and acting teacher. He has won directing awards from the L.A. Drama Critics Circle and Back Stage. He coaches actors for specific auditions, develops appropriate monologues, and conducts cold reading sessions. By audition only.

Casting director Dino S. Ladki (former head of casting, scripted series/MTV) offers perspective from "the other side of the ropes." Ladki's coaching is designed to let actors in on what casting directors and producers are likely to be looking for. He specializes in audition coaching. Sessions are $50 per hour.

ROBERT BEECHER

Stage 13

10749 New Haven St., #15

Sun Valley, CA 91352

www.stage13.com

(818) 768-5574

4 students per class; all levels; ongoing.

Beecher's Stage 13 offers four weeks of coaching in scenes or commercials for $60 whether you are starting out or an actor for 20 years.

JAMES BOLT

(323) 559-9466

Actor and teacher Bolt describes his approach to coaching actors as "the actor honoring the character's experience." Bolt is currently available by appointment to coach actors for specific auditions and acting jobs.

Bontempo is a graduate of the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre under Sanford Meisner, and he trained in Los Angeles with Nina Foch. A theatre director and actor on film and TV, Bontempo has privately coached actors, directors, and writers for numerous projects for more than 20 years. Bontempo's technique applies to all areas of an actor's work, from cold reading to performance. All levels welcome.

SANDRA CARUSO

(310) 476-5113

Caruso, a current professor in the UCLA School of Theater, Film, and Television, as well as director and producer of "Art Alive: Nine Wanted Women," offers private coaching and audition preparation. She studied with Meisner, Strasberg, and Hagen, graduated from the NYU Theatre Department, and has a master's degree from UCLA. She's the author of three books, most recently, "The Actors Book of Improvisation: Dramatic Situations From Shakespeare to Spielberg."

SHAWNA CASEY

hoppinjohns@earthlink.net

www.nowcasting.com/shawnacasey

(310) 390-5984

Casey, an award-winning actor, coaches actors for auditions. She is experienced in English as a Second Language and in accent reduction. Free consultation.

MARK CHAET

chaetmark@sbcglobal.net

(818) 547-9018

Chaet teaches business for actors through private instruction. He focuses on goal-setting and methods for organizing and advancing an acting career.

CHARLOTTE CORNWELL

(310) 383-0910

A member of the USC School of Theatre faculty, Cornwell is a classically trained English actor with over 30 years experience in film, TV, and theatre. Her coaching is "a direct and simple approach to the craft of acting. Clear, in-depth character work, emotional clarity, and a healthy respect for the text are the essential skills every actor must continually work to develop."

LAUREN DICKEY

5455 Wilshire Blvd., Ste. 2124

Los Angeles, CA 90036

coaching@laurendickey.com

(319) 927-7754

Dickey's philosophy is that an actor only has a few minutes to dazzle the casting director, producers, or director, and to make the most of that time is key. She coaches actors auditions to comb through the sides and find the less obvious choices. From a casting perspective, she shares inside tactics on how to work the camera to the actor's advantage.

PIERO DUSA

Promenade Gateway Ste. 608

1453 Third St. Promenade

Santa Monica, CA 90401

www.pierodusa.tv

(310) 393-9378

Private coaching.

For over 21 years, Piero Dusa has trained many well-known working actors. In 1985 he founded the Piero Dusa Acting Conservatory and the Duality Playhouse in New York City; in 1996 he co-founded the Piero Dusa Acting Conservatory and the Promenade Playhouse in Santa Monica. Dusa also created Character Preference, Character Expression, Character Pathology and co-created Character Matrix-techniques that teach actors, writers, and directors new tools and insights on how to differentiate the action of the character from the actor's personal preferences.

MARJORIE GAINES

(818) 481-4466

Private coaching; ongoing.

Gaines has taught acting for theatre majors at Cal State Long Beach and Pasadena City College. She trained extensively with Nina Foch and at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, where she studied with Lloyd Richards, Olympia Dukakis, and Kristin Linklater. She offers private coaching in audition preparation and basic technique. She is a 2006 Los Angeles Music Center Bravo Honoree.

MARLA GAM-HUDSON

atheaterdirector@yahoo.com

(714) 501-8215 or (714) 771-5436

Gam-Hudson is an Orange County acting coach, specializing in audition preparation and last-minute coaching. She offers scene study classes, improv work, and monologue-perfecting, in private sessions or group classes.

BARBARA GANNEN

(323) 793-6959

No auditing; ongoing.

Gannen teaches at the Margie Haber Studio and at Santa Monica College. She is located in the West Hollywood area and is available for private coaching.

JAMES HARPER

(818) 749-4678

No auditing; ongoing.

Juilliard graduate Harper, also an award-winning actor, has performed leading roles on Broadway, Off-Broadway, and has more than 300 appearances on TV and 25 feature films to his credit. A teacher for more than 25 years, he has taught at universities across the country, including USC. Harper specializes in audition coaching. Rates vary depending upon project length and/or number of sessions.

HELENE KRESS - HOLLYWOOD ACTING CLASS

aktorchick@yahoo.com

(323) 225-1962

No auditing; ongoing.

Helene Kress, star of VH1's "I Know My Kids a Star," offers private acting lessons that include fully understanding your character, coaching on audition sides, and how to book the job.

JACK HELLER

(323) 850-6328

Jack Heller is an award-winning director and a working actor. He studied with Harold Clurman, Robert Lewis, and Uta Hagen. He has performed on television, Broadway, and in Los Angeles theatre.

CHRIS JORIE

cjdirects@earthlink.net

www.chrisjorie.com

As a director, writer, and acting teacher, Jorie has worked with a number of distinguished talents in his 35 years of experience in television, film, and theatre. He has taught acting and directed extensively throughout the U.S. He accepts a limited number of students for private coaching in Los Angeles.

JUST BREATHE

Barbara Beneville

(323) 969-4944

Limited; all levels; ongoing.

Coach Barbara Beneville believes actors should "get comfortable with silence, and transcendence will follow." Beneville's class consists of all phases of study: auditioning, character development, cold reading, improv, Meisner exercises, monologues, scene study, and script breakdown. On and off-camera work is mixed throughout the class.

KAREN KALENSKY

lostinlatheatre@aol.com

(818) 481-2244

Kalensky teaches at Cal State Long Beach and is the consulting artistic director of the Interplayers Theatre. A former casting director, she has won a number of directing awards and understands well what agents and casting directors look for in the audition process. Additionally, she works on monologues, cold readings, and scene study.

BRUCE KATZMAN

(818) 613-5252

Limited in size; ongoing.

Katzman has been teaching since 1988, conducting workshops in New York, Los Angeles, England, Denmark, and Argentina. His work is founded in the techniques taught at the Yale School of Drama, where he earned his MFA, and in his earlier studies with Stella Adler. His classes focus on the major plays of Anton Chekhov and other great playwrights. He also offers private coaching in Shakespeare, modern plays, preparation for auditions, and coaching for films.

JUDY KERR

www.actingiseverything.com

(818) 505-9373

All levels; ongoing.

An acting coach for over 25 years, Kerr wrote "Acting Is Everything: An Actor's Guidebook for a Successful Career in Los Angeles." She coaches privately, covering acting and film techniques for the camera, and show-business techniques to boost careers. Beginners welcome. She occasionally teaches weekend seminars outside of Los Angeles. Fees start at $100 per hour.

DAVID LEHMAN

filmactingcoach@yahoo.com

www.filmactingcoach.com

(818) 845-1549

12 person maximum.

Lehman has been teaching for 26 years and studied under Charles Conrad. Classes cover cold reading and more. "I'm looking for spontaneity, the unexpected moment," says Lehman. Admission is by interview. Daytime and evening classes.

LIFEBOOK ACTING ACADEMY

Allen Levin

The Space Theatre

665 N. Heliotrope Dr.

Los Angeles, CA 90004

www.lifebookacting.com

(818) 557-7700

Ongoing.

Levin has been teaching acting for more than five years and offers scene study, improv, and cold reading classes. Free class awarded for long-term referrals.

ART MANKE

(323) 667-1231

Also available for on-set coaching.

Manke is an award-winning actor and director, trained at the American Conservatory Theater, where he earned an MFA. He is a co-founder and former artistic director of L.A.'s classical theatre company A Noise Within, and he has more than 20 years' experience coaching and teaching at some of the country's most prestigious schools.

MARKETING THE ACTOR

15303 Ventura Blvd., 9th fl.

Sherman Oaks, CA 91403

www.marketingtheactor.com

(310) 922-6821

Marketing the Actor, created by Jason Buyer, a former casting associate at MGM and UDK, is an audition coaching and consultation service specifically designed to provide actors with the fundamental career-building knowledge of the industry. Consultations are available by appointment only starting at $195. Private audition coaching in front of the camera is $90 an hour.

FRANCO MASSIMO

(323) 850-8580

Massimo, also known as Rik Martino, is an acting coach who works in Italian and English. He specializes in improvisation before the camera.

CHAD McCORD

Studio

1006 N. Cole

Los Angeles, CA 90038

www.chadmccord.com

(323) 868-9225

McCord offers weekly classes specializing in comedy for actors. All classes are on-camera, using current pilot, film, and TV material only. New client consultations are free.

MARILYN McINTYRE

marosemc@yahoo.com

(818) 601-1463

McIntyre specializes in personalization, using a variety of techniques to "safely help the actor discover and explore what effectively allows them to access and bring their most personal, authentic, and unique self to the work." She has been acting professionally for more than 30 years and garnered many awards. She currently teaches and coaches privately. Rates vary.

FABIANA MEDICI

fabianadmedici@yahoo.com

www.theactorstemple.com

(323) 930-8986

Medici has coached directors, theatre companies, and television casts, internationally and in the United States. She helps actors develop their own method of work, aiding in their self-confidence and empowerment.

MICHAEL E. RYAN ACTING CLUB

www.michaeleryan.com

(323) 839-5461

All levels welcome; ongoing.

Ryan formed the club "for actors who love the craft of acting." Ryan facilitates for the club members tools, techniques, and Method approaches. The group gathers in a theatre to work on a variety of projects, promoting multidimensional acting. Actors work on-camera at all times.

ANTHONY MONTES

mattiedaisy@sbcglobal.net

(818) 705-4364 or (818) 400-2270

For the past 20 years, Montes has been offering actors private coaching. This award-winning actor-director has produced 70 plays and coached actors who have gone on to television series and starring roles in film.

TONI MOSS-TRENTON

(213) 252-0830, Fax: (213) 389-1856

Small classes and private coaching; all levels; ongoing.

Moss-Trenton has an extensive background in theatre and film and has been teaching Method acting for over 10 years. She trained directly with Lee Strasberg and Donna Drew Roman and is familiar with other techniques and training philosophies from studies with Stella Adler, Ivana Chubbuck, and Milton Katselas. She also accepts private students on a sliding scale.

BRIAN MULLIGAN

(323) 719-2545

Mulligan, a former instructor at NYC's Riverside Shakespeare Academy and founder of NYC's Impro!, offers one-on-one coaching for TV, film, and theatre auditions. He studied acting with Uta Hagen and improvisation with Keith Johnstone.

ALLEN NELSON

scene2@earthlink.net

(818) 786-7154

Producer-director-actor Nelson was the coach-administrator for 21 years at the Tracy Roberts Actors Studio. and was recently featured in two documentaries. Nelson coaches privately for auditions and monologues, also works in-depth with actors who need to learn or strengthen their technique.

JIM OTIS

(818) 543-7479

No auditing; flexible scheduling.

Otis, an actor for 31 years and an acting coach for over 20, privately coaches actors. Otis has taught a wide range of talent, from Second City actors to the grandmother auditioning for her first commercial. He offers two private courses: a TV/film intensive, covering TV/film, commercial auditioning technique, cold reading, and business strategy; and a monologue intensive. Each course is six private sessions.

ALLAN RICH

www.allanrich.com, www.aleapfromthemethod.com

(323) 465-4007

Working actor Rich offers private coaching. Former students include Rene Russo, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Larry Miller. Rich teaches serious professionals the same "organic technique" he uses in his own work. Rich's newest book is :A Leap From the Method: An Organic Approach to Acting." Rich has appeared in scores of TV shows and films, including the CSI: Crime Scene Investigation pilot, as well as Rise, Man in the Chair, and The Memory Thief.

MEL RYANE

www.melryane.com

(310) 391-8542

Ryane, who studied with Uta Hagen for 10 years, offers private coaching - that is, when she's not coaching actors on television shows. DreamWorks, Fox, CBS, NBC, and PBS's American Playhouse have all relied on Ryane's expertise. She helps actors with audition prep, technique, scene work ,and monologues.

TIM SIMEK

www.jcau.com/timsimek or www.slowchildrenimprov.com

(213) 212-9921

A working actor and improv comic, Simek has more than 14 years experience in film and television. He is founder and director of the L.A.-based comedy improv group Slow...Children at Play. Simek offers ongoing improv and scene study classes, as well as private coaching for dramatic and comedic roles.

MARCIE SMOLIN

marcie@theactorscircle.com

www.theactorscircle.com

(310) 800-5692 or (310) 837-4536

Smolin began as a child actor and was a regular on two TV series, as well as guest-starring on several shows. She was a standup comic for 13 years and appeared in numerous commercials. Smolin holds a bachelor's degree in theatre arts and a master's in screenwriting. She has been a coach for over 17 years.

STEVE TRUITT COACHING

stevetruitt@verizon.net

www.stevetruitt.com

(310) 463-9056

No auditing; ongoing.

Truitt is a working host as well as a certified life coach and NLP practitioner. He coaches actors in hosting standup, copy interpretation, and guides them to discovering the keys to success. Fee is $150 per hour for private coaching.

CLIFF WEISSMAN

(661) 803-5038

Weissman teaches and coaches audition workshops. An actor and teacher for more than 25 years, his recent TV credits include "CSI: NY," "The Shield," "24," "Veronica Mars," and "Without a Trace." A New York-trained theatre actor, Weissman has studied with L.A. and New York's audition coaches including Margie Haber, Tim Phillips, and Caryn West.

ACTING SCHOOLS AND CLASSES

This, the biggest and most broadly defined listing, includes all kinds of class types, sizes, and approaches, from Stanislavsky nuts-and-bolts to cold reading and audition prep. What unites them is that while many offer specialized classes, all offer some class or other that could simply go under the heading of "acting." Many also offer private coaching; for a list of those who offer only or primarily private acting coaching, see "Acting Coaching."

AARON SPEISER ACTING STUDIO

1644 S. La Cienega Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90035

info@aaronspeiser.com

www.aaronspeiser.com

(310) 399-4567

Offers career counseling and private coaching; one audit is allowed in most classes.

Speiser has coached Academy Award nominee Virginia Madsen in Sideways, Will Smith, Jennifer Lopez, LL Cool J, the Wayans brothers, Shannyn Sossamon, Mandy Moore, The Rock, Brooke Shields, Jeff Foxworthy, and many more. He assists many directors (such as F Gary Gray, The Italian Job) and producers (such as Neal Israel, Finding Nemo), as well. "My approach is specifically designed for professional actors, or actors who want to be professional," says Speiser, now in his 25th year of teaching. "It's very specific and no-nonsense." His knowledge of working on-set for features and television is extensive, and he is asked to consult on many projects. His ongoing classes are divided into four levels: a beginning technique class (open to all), an intermediate scene study class, an advanced scene study class, and an invitation-only master class. One audit is allowed in most classes. He also offers career counseling, and private coaching.

THE ACTING CENTER OF LOS ANGELES

5514 Hollywood Blvd.

Hollywood, CA 90028

www.theactingcenterla.com

(323) 962-2100

From 20 to 50 students per class; all levels; no auditing.

The founding partners of The Acting Center of Los Angeles have researched, developed, and tested a new technique designed to help actors reach their full potential. The class is composed of exercises, cold reading, and scene study. Open lectures and seminars available to all; private coaching available for Center students only. Interview required for admission. Classes are offered 7-10 p.m. Mon. & Wed. and Tues. & Thurs., as well as Sun. from 1 to 6 p.m. $280 per month. Gated parking available.

THE ACTING CORPS

5508 Cahuenga Blvd.

North Hollywood, CA 91601

www.theactingcorps.com

(818) 753-2800

Small class size; ongoing.

Short-term acting conservatory that favors a daily concentrated approach. Acting Corps offers the original Actors' Boot Camp in its brand-new three-theatre facility in the NoHo Arts District. It is a four-week, every day, Meisner-based program, that not only teaches the legendary technique but also applies it to cold reading and scene study. Also offer an advanced and professional program.

ACTOR'S ART THEATRE

6128 Wilshire Blvd., Ste. 100

Los Angeles, CA 90048

www.actorsart.com

(323) 969-4953

Private coaching also available; ongoing.

Actor's Art Theatre offers private classes and workshops in acting technique, script analysis, directing, play and solo show development. Instructor Jolene Adams offers a step-by-step system she's developed inspired by Stanislavsky and Meisner. Techniques are taught to help focus attention, affect emotional states and increase creativity and spontaneity. Ongoing technique and scene study classes are $180 for six weeks. All classes are available in private or semiprivate sessions.

STAN ROTH

sandbroth@att.net

www.stanroth.com

(323) 930-2424

2 students per class, private coaching available; all levels; no auditing.

Roth teaches two-person cold reading/scene study classes and audition coaching at his studio in the West Hollywood area. Classes meet Monday-Friday at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., or 3 p.m. Actors are paired according to their level of ability, experience, and compatibility, and work the entire time while in class. Rather than adhering to one particular philosophy or method, Roth's approach is designed to teach reliable acting techniques that are applicable in any acting or audition situation. Admission is by preliminary interview and audition.

THE ACTOR'S LAB

J.D. Lewis

(310) 621-3900

J.D. Lewis offers ongoing cold reading, scene study, and career guidance classes and is known for coaching many well-known working actors. He teaches master-class levels only. Acceptance is by interview/audition.

THE ACTOR'S PLAYPEN

1514 N. Gardner

West Hollywood, CA 90046

hrach@theactorsplaypen.com

www.theactorsplaypen.com

(323) 874-1733

The Actor's Playpen offers comprehensive acting instruction that includes classical training, technique, and actor development. It is a place for actors of all levels to practice, polish, grow, and play and is also dedicated to maintaining affordability and a positive philosophy of supporting artists and their dreams.

THE ACTOR/ARTIST GROUP WORKSHOP

Peter Henry Schroeder

www.actorartist.com

(310) 407-3530 or (310) 277-2355

Small class size, private coaching is available.; observation is welcome.

Using his extensive directing, teaching, and acting experience, Peter Henry Schroeder teaches ongoing workshops that focus on relaxation and concentration techniques, as well as audition preparation, cold reading, and scene study. Workshops meets twice a week and are by recommendation or by audition only.

THE ACTORS CENTER

Michael Scott Butler

www.actorscenter.com

(310) 459-5064

Small classes; intermediate and advanced; auditing not permitted; ongoing.

"Training is more than a matter of technique," states the website for this acting training facility, run by Michael Scott Butler. "It involves understanding among people and a creative atmosphere that gives an actor the courage to explore his or her depth and range." Butler says he "employs many techniques to discover the best way of working for each individual."

THE ACTORS CIRCLE

Marcie Smolin

4475 Sepulveda Blvd.

Culver City, CA 90230

workshops@theactorscircle.com

www.theactorscircle.com

(310) 837-4536

8-14 per class; all levels; no auditing; ongoing.

The Actors Circle offers television and film acting workshops for children, teens, and adults, in scene study, cold reading, improv, character development, and interview technique. Students have included four Emmy winners, nine Emmy nominees, and dozens in starring roles. Classes and private coaching are available. Professional demo reels and audition filming are offered.

ACTORS CREATIVE WORKSHOP

2703 W. Olive Ave.

Burbank, CA 91505

info@actorscreativeworkshop.com

www.trulyacting.com

(818) 752-1922

Limited size, private coaching available; all levels.

Led by two guiding principles, integrity and passion, the Actors Creative Workshop fosters the growth of its students in their art and in their careers. ACW offers reel development, standup classes, and audition technique, among others. Its staff consists of qualified industry professionals that have worked both in front of and behind the camera.

THE ACTORS SANCTUARY

www.dhtcb.com/actorssanctuary.html

(818) 506-6194

Actor David Hall has worked in film, television, and stage with some of the most respected filmmakers in the entertainment Industry including Mel Brooks, John Frankenheimer, Terrance Mallick, Garry Marshall, Gordon Parks, Aaron Spelling and Gene Wilder. He is also a director for television and stage. Hall's Actor's Sanctuary, a scene-study/monologue class, begins each week with an exercise that often consists of cold-reading, and audition technique work. The purpose of this work is to prepare the actor for the interviews and auditions that are at the heart of the audition process. The second half of the class is devoted to scene-study and monologue work. This is scripted material that the actor has memorized and rehearsed and is performed without a script. Hall believes monologues are also a tool through which the actor, without a film demo, can, if the opportunity presents itself in a casting session, perform something right on the spot.

ACTORS THEATRECRAFT WORKSHOP

Rick Walters

(323) 876-1100

Private coaching also available; ongoing.

Since 1961, successful actors in film, on TV, and on Broadway have used Rick Walters direct approach to tap into their own unique experiences and quickly reveal the natural responses of the character. Walters has produced and directed more than 100 plays. Michelle Pfeiffer, Mariska Hargitay, Sharon Gless, Priscilla Presley, and Peta Wilson have been trained in Walters' technique. Classes focus on cold reading, scene study, improvisation, audition scenes, and monologues. Every actor works every class.

THE ACTORS WORKOUT STUDIO

4735 Lankershim Blvd.

North Hollywood, CA 91602

info@actorsworkout.com

www.actorsworkout.com

(818) 766-2171

Small classes; all levels.

Fran Montano, an actor for more than 25 years and a teacher for 20, specializes in "troubleshooting actors' blocks." To that end, he says, classes are small, "very individualized, and it's very much an intense workout-everyone works every class." His classes, based on Meisner technique, include exercises, improv, cold reading, and scene study. Montano is also the artistic director of the Actors Workout Studio, where class members regularly mount performances and industry-invited scene nights. His ongoing weekly workshops divide into beginning and advanced, and he requires an interview and audit.

ACTORS WORKSHOP STUDIOS

5703 Oberlin Dr., Ste. 210

San Diego, CA 92121

www.actorsworkshopstudios.com

(858) 587-6666

15 students maximum; auditing permitted.

Established in 1989, the Actors Workshop Studio in San Diego provides on-camera training in film and television acting and audition techniques based on the Meisner approach. Classes are $250 a month for the first three months, then $150 per month. An interview or audition is required.

THE ACTORS WORKSHOP

info@theactorsworkshop.com

www.theactorsworkshop.com

(949) 855-4444

This film-television workshop, which began in Hollywood in the early 1970s before moving to its present Orange County location in 1980, is now in its 30th year. Under the direction of TV-film actor R.J. Adams, with co-director Rob Adams, classes are ongoing for all levels: beginning, intermediate, and advanced. Workshops are held twice weekly with an emphasis on film and TV audition techniques, cold readings, on-camera scene work, and marketing and imaging guidance. Showcases are held on a regular basis with major L.A. film and TV casting directors. There are no audits, and acceptance is based on a personal interview.

AIA Studios is a career-development actor's studio focusing on the art and business of acting. Career consultants show actors the concrete steps needed to develop and manage their careers. Audition/interview required.

AIDA-AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF DRAMATIC ARTS

The Complex Theatre

MC Studio

6742 Santa Monica Blvd.

Hollywood, CA 90038

admin@aidaacting.com

www.aidaacting.com

(323) 463-3261

10 students average per class; all levels; auditing is permitted; ongoing.

Artistic director Paul Parker's mission is to train and coach aspiring and seasoned actors in the renowned Australian technique. Focus is on helping actors access their full emotional range and broaden their artistic palette. Classes also taught in New York at the Champion Studios, 257 W. 39th St., 14th fl., New York, NY 10018. Phone: (347) 482-2074.

ALAN FEINSTEIN & PAUL TUERPÉ ACTING STUDIO

www.feinstein-tuerpe.com

(323) 650-7766

Private coaching available.

Feinstein and Tuerpé, both veteran working actors, offer five ongoing classes which cover scene study from beginning to advanced, fundamental and emotional exercises, on-camera cold reading, and the newly added voice training. Feinstein says of their teaching: "I call the classes 'emotion into action.' The classes emphasize freeing the actor's emotions for maximum creative results in a safe and supportive environment." Admission by interview only.

ALEXIA ROBINSON STUDIO

2811 W. Magnolia Blvd.

Burbank, CA 91505

www.alexiarobinsonstudio.com, www.arskids.com

(818) 779-1118

Free audit of the scene study class is offered.

Students learn how to get results with award-winning actor Robinson. With more than 20 years of industry experience, this protégé of legendary coach Roy London has been teaching for more than 10 years. The studio offers scene study, commercial workshops, and cold reading/audition technique for adults and for teens and kids.

AMERICAN MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC ACADEMY

6305 Yucca St.

Los Angeles, CA 90028

info@amda.edu

www.amda.edu

(323) 469-3300 or (866) 374-5300

For more than 40 years, AMDA has led the way in performing arts training because of its challenging, performance-based curriculum. Actors come to AMDA to train with, and learn from, a premier faculty comprised of accomplished actors, directors, choreographers, dancers, designers, and educators who inspire and work with students on an individual basis. AMDA offers two-year conservatory programs in Acting (Studio Program) and Musical Theatre (Integrated Program), as well as BFA programs in Acting and Musical Theatre. AMDA New York is located at 211 West 61st St., New York, NY 10023, (800) 367-7908 /(212) 787-5300.

AMERICAN NATIONAL ACADEMY OF PERFORMING ARTS

10944 Ventura Blvd.

Studio City, CA 91604

(818) 763-4431

The Academy, directed by Dorothy Barrett, is a nonprofit organization chartered by the state of California. For the past 43 years, it has offered year-round classes in acting, ballet, modern jazz, tap-dancing, improv, cold reading, scene study, observation, pantomime, stage presence, musical comedy, and auditioning. Audition required.

AMY LYNDON'S COLD READING/BOOKING CLASSES

www.coldreadingclasses.com

(818) 760-8501

No auditing.

Lyndon has six cold reading/booking classes that she says help the student break through into the 1 percent booking category by providing a 15-guideline map to booking. Lyndon has three ongoing advanced classes, two technique classes, and one master class.

ANDREW BENNE STUDIO

4930 Lankershim Blvd.

North Hollywood, CA 91601

www.andrewbenne.com

(818) 386-5867

All levels; auditing is permitted.

The studio specializes in developing professional actors, with a focus on each actor's individual training needs to book paid acting work. The intense training process is rooted in moment-to-moment work with an emphasis on human behavior, realistic relationships, and emotional preparation. Classes offer film-style improv, meaning custom improvs with detailed situations, written by Benne for his students' growth. Professional scene study, cold reading, and progressive Meisner technique.

ANDREW UTTER - MOTHER OF INVENTION ACTING SCHOOL

actbetter@utteracting.com

www.utteracting.com

Andew Utter brings the acting technique learned at the Yale School of Drama to his courses and workshops. Technique is presented through exercises, discussion, and scene work. Exercises are carefully crafted, purposeful, exciting explorations that are designed to give actors an experiential grasp of the elements. Discussions elaborate on the principles presented in the exercises. Additionally, the technique portions of classes include a bodywork component, designed to help the actor build awareness of habitual physical tensions and the ability to let those tensions go. Utter has worked at several theatres and institutions including the Magic Theater, Playwright's Center of San Francisco, the Yale Repertory Theater, Manhattan Class Company, Mabou Mines New York, Schaubuehne am Lehniner Platz, Odyssey Theater Ensemble (Los Angeles), and Fordham University. He has also directed productions of plays by William Shakespeare, Maria Irene Fornes, Peter Handke, Edward Albee, Eric Overmyer, Wallace Shawn, John Guare, John Webster, Kander and Ebb, Liz Duffy Adams, and Julie McKee, among others. Utter likes to say what he teaches is a leaner, meaner Stanislavsky.

ANTHONY MEINDL'S ACTOR'S WORKSHOP

www.metatheatre.org

(323) 852-6963

With his holistic approach to the study of acting, Meindl provides ongoing classes to performers of all levels. Meindl strongly diverges from traditional techniques, requiring the actor "to use the totality of who he or she is, to first embody, then transform." The actor learns how to expand consciousness when approaching a character and simultaneously propels growth and healing through elevated self-expression. He has taught Los Angeles actors for the last eight years.

AQUILA/MORONG STUDIO FOR ACTORS

168 Vine St., Ste. 806

Hollywood, CA 90028

erin@aquilawood.com

(323) 460-6292

Private coaching available.

Successful casting directors Deb Aquila and Donna Morong recently formed their new Aquila/Morong Studio for Actors in Hollywood. Aquila offers master classes based on the teachings of Stella Adler. Morong offers Meisner based technique and scene study classes for professional teens and young adults. Interviews are currently being held.

THE ARTIST THEATRE GROUP

Anthony Montes

MB Studios

26560 Agoura Rd., #111

Calabasas, CA 91302

mattiedaisy@sbcglobal.net

(818) 400-2270 or (818) 705-4364

Auditing of the first class is allowed.

The Artist Theatre Group, under the direction of Anthony Montes, has been teaching actors, writers, and directors since 1987. ATG offers acting technique and scene study. Students are encouraged to take the work out of the classroom and create their own opportunities.

CYB BARNSTABLE

(818) 501-4734

Small classes, private coaching also available.

Barnstable, who studied at Herbert Berghof Studio in New York and has been teaching for over 15 years in Los Angeles, offers a positive, supportive, and challenging environment for the actor. Classes include commercial technique, cold reading, scene study, monologues, auditioning, marketing, and improv. Also on-camera work and consultation on photo and résumé.

THE BERG STUDIO

www.thebergstudios.com

(323) 666-3382

Private coaching available; all levels.

Gregory Berger-Sobeck teaches the Yale School of Drama technique, which has trained Meryl Streep, Edward Norton, Sigourney Weaver, and Jodie Foster. Classes cover scene work, commercial and theatrical audition on-camera, and cold reading, and meet twice a week. Every actor works every class. All students are offered free audition coaching outside of class.

BERNARD HILLER ACTING STUDIO

13816 Califa St.

Valley Glen, CA 91401

berniehiller@aol.com

www.bernardhiller.com

(818) 781-8000

Class size varies, private sessions are available; ongoing.

Bernard Hiller's techniques are based on a combination of "The Method" (Lee Strasberg) and Stella Adler and help actors resolve problems with auditions and performance, find their unique inner quality, and train them how to be public with their private emotions. Group classes held at 14370 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, CA 91423.

BEVERLY HILLS PLAYHOUSE

254 S. Robertson Blvd.

Beverly Hills, CA 90211

interviewer@bhplayhouse.com

www.beverlyhillsplayhouse.com

(310) 855-1556

"The BHP is one of L.A.'s oldest and most respected acting schools," says executive director Allen Barton. The BHP offers ongoing intensive scene study classes to instruct aspiring professionals in the areas of acting, career administration, and attitude. "Instruction focuses on identifying the goal of honest, authentic, moment-to-moment, behavior-oriented acting work, and finding each actor's individual way into that work, rather than on rote enforcement of a certain school of acting technique," says Barton. "High-quality, well-rehearsed scene study is emphasized, with exercises few and far between." No auditions, but an interview is required for admission.

Howey's workshops train actors to bring their own personality to their characters and are designed for actors to uncover acting problems and provide solutions. Both workshops and private coaching are based on the principals of his book, The Actor's Menu: A Character Preparation Handbook. Actors work on scenes or monologues that are handed out.

BLACK NEXXUS STUDIO

6742 Santa Monica Blvd.

2nd fl.

Hollywood, CA 90038

blacknexxus@sbcglobal.net

www.blacknexxusinc.com

(323) 467-9987

Susan Batson, who created the Black Nexxus process, says it is aimed to prepare the actor for today's challenges in the workforce and to respect acting as a primary art form. "Black Nexxus was created by the actor, for the actor," she says.

IVAN BORODIN

www.ivanborodin.com

(323) 882-1268

Private coaching also available.

Borodin, who studied with Uta Hagen, Lee Strasberg and at NYU, teaches "intense acting" based in the Method, sensory work. Classes are geared toward heightening actors' individual personalities, aiming for a fruitful blend of solid training and good instincts.

BRIAN REISE ACTING STUDIOS

7954 Fountain Ave.

Los Angeles, CA 90046

www.brianreise.com

(323) 874-5593

Reise's acting classes specialize in cold reading for beginners through professional levels. The focus of the classes is on the reality of the acting business, teaching actors how to develop their acting skills so they can audition more effectively, book jobs, get agents, and guide themselves in their careers. Reise offers bimonthly orientations for admittance into classes.

BOB BURGOS

(323) 653-5947

Private coaching.

An award-winning film-TV-theatre writer-director and a member of the Actors Studio Directors Unit, Burgos has worked on and Off-Broadway and in theatres across the country. He has taught at NYU, the Art Center in Pasadena, Loyola Marymount University, and Chapman University, and has been an on-set acting coach on numerous films and television shows.

DIANA CASTLE

2100 Square Feet

5615 San Vicente Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90016

(323) 936-6818

30 students per class maximum, private coaching also available; no auditing.

Artistic director of 2100 Square Feet, a creative space she established with producing director Steve Tietsort in 1995, Castle has been teaching and coaching actors for 15 years. Her ongoing scene study class emphasizes "a creative state of mind and the use of imagination." An interview is required for admittance.

CATLIN ADAMS ACTING LAB

catlinadams@sbcglobal.net

www.actinglab.com

(323) 851-8811

Limited class size, private coaching is available.

An award-winning director and actor, Adams intensive instruction focuses on developing the actor's craft. Classes cover improvisation, sensory work, camera technique exercises, monologue, and scene study. All students work in every class.

CHANGING PERCEPTIONS - THEATRE BY THE BLIND & PHYSICALLY DISABLED

www.changingperceptions.org

(310) 428-4696

All levels.

Year-round program of drama workshops and performances serving visually and/or physically disabled adults ages 18-plus. Weekly workshops in basic acting technique, improvisation, theatre games, movement, voice, emotional strengthening and tuning, character analysis, and script interpretation are offered free of charge. Original works are developed and rehearsed by theatre company members in weekly rehearsals. Theatre company tours an original play designed to educate the public on disability issues with public performances each year. Artistic Director Greg Shane.

SHARON CHATTEN

sharonchatten@aol.com

www.sharonchatten.com

(213) 486-4229

Private coaching available.

A member of the Actors Studio and the Ensemble Studio Theater, Chatten teaches ongoing classes for committed students looking for an acting class as a workroom for their craft. Weekly classes include relaxation, sensory work, scene study, improvisation, cold readings, and pilot-season prep. Her high-profile client list is extensive: to name a few (alphabetically), Cameron Diaz, Matt Dillon, Vincent D'Onofrio, Marg Helgenberger, Keri Russell, and Ben Stiller.

DANIEL CHODOS

chodos@sbcglobal.net

www.danielchodos.com

(323) 422-5013

Chodos is a veteran of regional theatre and Hollywood and has taught at Dartmouth College and Temple University. He offers traditional scene study focusing on stage technique and on-camera technique, with periodic showcasing. Competitive fee schedule includes instruction outside class sessions.

DIANE CHRISTIANSEN

actupdi@yahoo.com

www.dianechristiansen.com

(818) 523-8283

Private and on-set coaching available.

Christiansen is an acting/life coach who recently appeared on the reality show "Faking It" and was a recent guest director at CalArts. She offers professional classes for kids, teens, and adults in North Hollywood and Valencia. Christiansen also offers supportive life coaching sessions for actors and other artists.

CHRISTINNA CHAUNCEY ON-CAMERA CLASSES

10061 Riverside Dr., #489

Toluca Lake, CA 91602

info@oncameraclasses.com

www.oncameraclasses.com

(818) 720-3052

Limited class size, private coaching available.

Chauncey's Intensive On-Camera Workshop focuses on developing strong cold-read, audition, and on-camera skills specific to television. She has more than 15 years' professional experience in front of and behind the camera as an associate to a major casting office for pilots and series.

THE CIRCUS THEATRICALS STUDIO FOR ACTORS

P.O. Box 586

Culver City, CA 90232

www.circustheatricals.com

(310) 226-6144

Jack Stehlin, Circus Theatricals artistic director and award-winning actor-director, teaches an advanced scene study workshop with performance showcase. The intent of the workshop is to enhance the actor's ability to work anywhere; in theatre, film, or television. At the end of each term (spring or fall), the actors present their scenes in a public presentation for friends, family, and industry guests. Admission is by audition/interview only.

CLAY BANKS FILM ACTING STUDIO

137 N. Larchmont Blvd., #242

Los Angeles, CA 90004

www.claybanksstudio.com

(323) 578-1936

Can you hold frame? What is a film director ultimately looking for? Do you deliver effective emotional intensity in an ECU (extreme close-up)? Knowing the answers to these questions can greatly affect your success as a film actor. This on-camera, no nonsense acting and audition technique is geared specifically for film acting.

JOEL COLMAN

www.professionalactingclass.com

(310) 454-1959

8-10 per class; auditing permitted by apointment.

Colman teaches acting from a working director's viewpoint and emphasizes comedy, voice correction, character analysis, timing, and auditioning. He gears his teaching toward goal-oriented actors who want one-on-one personal direction. Critiques from agents and other directors are included.

CRAIG WALLACE AUDITION TECHNIQUE

www.wallaceauditiontechnique.com

(323) 960-7852

Wallace has parlayed his many years of experience as a producer, talent agent, and casting consultant into the creation of the Wallace Audition Technique, which he says is a "rock-solid technique that ensures confidence and consistency in high-pressure audition situations, and allows actors to convey their distinctive energy, own the room, and book the job."

CREATIVE COMBUSTION ACTING STUDIO

coach4actors@aol.com

www.ccactingstudio.com

(310) 285-6777

Private coaching also available.

Director and acting coach Joshua Finkel, MFA, offers classes for actors and public speakers. All work is on-camera and audiotaped for later study. Classes and coaching are available for film/television acting, sitcom, cold reading technique, contemporary theatre, Shakespeare, musical theatre auditioning, and corporate speaking presentation.

LINDSAY CROUSE

www.lindsaycrouse.org

(310) 573-6288

Private coaching also available.

Crouse, an acclaimed star of film, television, and theatre, now offers classes that define clearly what the actor's job really is and show actors the high road - that acting is at heart a spiritual profession. When actors act, they give and put the attention on another person first, taking the eye off themselves.

ROBERT D'AVANZO

rgd37@adelphia.net

(818) 508-0723

D'Avanzo describes his acting classes as "dynamic and thorough scene study class where the actor works every week in a prepared scene." D'Avanzo says he seeks out "blood-and-guts actors" who want the "stamp of truth on everything they say and do." Work is based on the teachings of Uta Hagen. D'Avanzo also offers an on-camera cold reading class.

DAVID KAGEN'S SCHOOL OF FILM ACTING

4854 Laurel Canyon Blvd.

Studio City, CA 91607

www.davidkagen.com

(818) 752-9678

The Carnegie Mellon-educated Kagen has been teaching and coaching around the world and on movie sets for more than 35 years. His highly successful students include Ted Danson and Alec Baldwin. He now offers ongoing on-camera classes. Students are guaranteed to work twice every class. His teaching faculty includes experienced working actors with training from Carnegie Mellon, NYU's graduate program at Tisch School of the Arts, and Yale School of Drama. Acceptance is by a one-and-a-half-hour paid on-camera working session.

DAVID LeGRANT STUDIO FOR ACTING

www.studioforacting.com

(818) 506-0717

LeGrant has spent 60 years in show business, 50 years teaching-28 in New York City and 22 in Studio City. He accepts students by interview only.

ALBERT DAYAN

adayan@earthlink.net

(818) 314-7540

Dayan places an emphasis on craft and not industry concerns, and directs his actors to unsentimentally address their bad habits and expand their range. He addresses each actor individually, relying on a keen eye for honest work. Students are encouraged to work every session.

THE DEE WALLACE ACTING STUDIO

www.dwsactingstudio.com

(818) 876-0386

Wallace's acting career includes memorable roles in such films as "E.T.," "Cujo," and "10," and work on such TV productions as "Sons and Daughters," "Crossing Jordan," "Cold Case," and "The Laci Peterson Story." She has been teaching acting for over 10 years. Her classes have limited enrollment; loosely based on the techniques of Meisner and Charles Conrad, they focus on moving actors through blocks that stand in their way.

JUDITH DOTY-MORSE

(818) 766-5424

Private coaching also available; all levels.

Doty-Morse, a Stanford graduate and an actor with more than 150 roles on Broadway, Off-Broadway, in repertory, and in TV and film, has been a teacher for 30 years and a coach on numerous TV series and MOWs. She offers an ongoing weekly workout for professionals to refresh and develop their craft. An interview is required.

DOUG WARHIT ON-CAMERA COLD READING AND SCENE STUDY

dwarhit@aol.com

www.dougwarhit.com

(310) 479-5647

All levels; audits are welcome.

Warhit's classes are specifically designed to prepare the actor for work in film and television. Once a month an industry professional-agent, casting director, manager-is invited to observe students' work and sit for a Q&A. Classes include scene study, cold reading, technique, improvisation, and commercial preparation.Warhit is the author of "Book the Job: 143 Things Actors Need to Know to Make It Happen."

DUANE WHITAKER'S FILM ACTORS WORKSHOP

www.duanewhitaker.com

(323) 856-4767

Duane Whitaker brings years of practical experience as a working actor-writer-director to his workshop. The class is designed to teach a realistic and usable approach to the craft of screen acting.

WAYNE C. DVORAK

1949 Hillhurst Ave.

Los Angeles, CA 90027

www.actingcoachdvorak.com

(323) 462-5328

Dvorak has been teaching for over 20 years. He's been a professional actor for 25 plus years, and holds a BFA and an MFA in theatre. He teaches a full two-year professional level Meisner program. In addition to the Meisner technique, Dvorak emphasizes image packaging and business. Classes start at $160 per month. 12 new students are accepted each Sept. and each Jan. An interview and free audit are required.

"For the Love of Acting" program with Eileen-Ivy, combines the dogma of Meisner, Hagen, and Adler, all of whom she has studied with. She is a 30-year veteran of TV, film, and theatre, and was a regular on The Waltons. She holds a B.A. and MFA in acting from Adelphia University in New York.

EITNER AND TAINI - SCENE STUDY CLASS

Don Eitner And Jayne Taini

5215 Lankershim Blvd., Studio B

North Hollywood, CA

jayne.taini@gmail.com

(323) 661-7885

16 students maximum, private coaching available.

Don Eitner is the founder and artistic director of American Theatre Arts Conservatory Theatre and a member of the Directors Guild of America. Jayne Taini was a member of American Theatre Arts and an associate artistic director of Triad Ensemble in Seattle. She has been teaching for 24 years. Class work emphasizes the development and personalization of characters, cold reading, play evaluation, and monologue. Classes are $125 per month. Some experience required.

ELEPHANT THEATRICAL - TRAINING LAB

www.elephantstageworks.com

(323) 962-1632

Elephant Stageworks provides a unique opportunity for a practical acting education. Actors are offered a professional and thoughtful approach to learning their craft.

ELIZABETH MESTNIK ACTING STUDIO

www.emasla.com

(323) 528-6280

Small classes.

EMAS offers a variety of coursework while maintaining personal attention to each acting student. Mestnik's studio is a vibrant community for serious acting students at any stage of their careers. Recommended by NBC Casting's Talent Development, EMAS offers ongoing classes in the Meisner technique, scene study, and beginning acting. Workshops are offered in on-camera auditioning, commercials, yoga, voice, and improv, and are taught by some of Los Angeles' top industry professionals. Students work in every class. Admittance to the studio is through interview only.

ELLEN GERSTEIN - ACTING WORKSHOP

www.ellengerstein.com

(323) 852-0276

Small classes, private coaching available.

"Actors need to make their work as specific as possible-to create what goes on before they say the line, as well as the subtext," says actor-writer-director-producer Gerstein, a member of the Actors Studio's actors unit and the writer-director unit. Her classes and coaching include acting technique, scene study, cold reading/auditioning, and in-depth script analysis. Her professional classes are kept small, and students work every week. Actors are encouraged to make strong choices and to take risks. Students are accepted by private interview. Gerstein also teaches a children's class and offers private coaching for all ages. Before becoming an actor/coach/writer/director/producer, Ellen was employed as a social worker in New York, did standup comedy, and was the youngest person to win Florida's Champion Equestrian in the 5-Gated Division and Western Pleasure. Ellen has two dogs, Lulu and Annie, who assist her in all of her endeavors.

VAN EPPERSON

ITA Workshop Academy

10820 W. Washington Blvd.

Culver City, CA 90232

vanepperson@sbcglobal.net

(310) 592-8675, (310) 839-8311 for reservations

Private coaching available.

Epperson has been a working professional actor for more than two decades, with extensive film, TV, and stage credits, as well as directing credits. He offers on-camera cold reading and audition technique classes Mon. 7-10 p.m. Ongoing classes for adults, open to all levels.

THE ERIC MORRIS ACTORS WORKSHOP

5657 Wilshire Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90036

www.ericmorris.com

(323) 466-9250

Private coaching available.

Morris' system is based on the Method, but, as Morris puts it, it "goes light-years beyond" the original Stanislavsky system. The process he teaches is of his own creation. Morris is the author of five books about acting. He teaches three classes each week; each is between five and six hours long. Classes are kept intimate and small so that every actor works in each class. Morris also offers weekend workshops.

J.D. FERRANTINO

www.screenactorsstudio.com

(310) 358-5942

see the Screen Actors Studio.

FIRST TAKE ACTING PROGRAM

Nancy Berwid

11967 Ventura Blvd.

Studio City, CA,

www.firsttake.org

(310) 364-0525

15-30 students per class; all levels; auditing is permitted.

Nancy Berwid's First Take Acting Program provides a holistic approach to acting. Along with a Method that students can use to hone their craft, Nancy provides a keen eye for logic, a sensitivity to human behavior as well as the human heart. She posses' a great understanding for the human experience, which she uses

to guide her students in performing their scene as true to life as possible. Belonging to a family closely involved in the Hollywood industry, students can benefit from learning the business aspects of acting as well, a knowledge imperative for any actor desiring to break into the competitive LA film and television market. Nancy's candor, coaching, and genuine interest in the careers, lives and well being of her students

have strongly contributed to the ongoing success and growth of her students. The First Take holistic approach prepares actors for work in film and TV by combining acting and audition technique, as well as instruction in the marketing and networking side of the business. Offers on-going classes on scene-study and audition technique for all levels. Personal attention given to every student.

LESLIE FLEMING-MITCHELL

lesliefilm@yahoo.com

lesliefleming-mitchell.com

(310) 991-4162

2-6 per class, private coaching also available.

Fleming-Mitchell has worked extensively in front of and behind the camera as an actor, director, and casting director as well as acting coach. Her students include Emile Hirsch, Hank Harris, and Michael Mantenuto. Small group classes address audition skills and scene work, with an emphasis on optimizing each actor's creative power. Also on-camera workshops are offered throughout the year. $100 per month for group classes with four-class commitment. Interview required.

NATALIE FORD

nfactingstudios@aol.com

(310) 428-1840

Small class size, private coaching available.

"So many acting classes cheat the actor, because all the teacher is doing is directing them," says Ford who teaches a foundation that gives the actor strength, courage, and imagination. She offers scene study technique classes and specializes in private coaching for auditions or set support. Ford trained with Jean Shelton and at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco. Interview is required.

Gamza says, "I have never met a human being who wasn't magnificent. If you're not as magnificent, full, and rich 'onstage' as you are offstage, something's not right." Classes focus on scene study, cold reading, and audition technique. Actors work every class.

LAURA GARDNER

www.lauragardner.org

(323) 957-4764

Private coaching available; auditing is permitted.

Gardner trained with Carol Rosenfeld and Uta Hagen. Her acting credits include Broadway, Off-Broadway, regional theatre, national tours, film, and TV. Gardner teaches scene study and basic technique as well as interview/audition intensive workshops. She also teaches actors with disabilities at Media Access in North Hollywood.

JOHN GEGENHUBER

(213) 248-9478

All levels.

Gegenhuber conducts intensive workshops in Spolin Improvisation, created by the visionary teacher Viola Spolin. A veteran of 20 years on stage, screen, and television, his classes emphasize applying improvisational techniques to scene work and audition technique. An interview is required.

GENE BUA-ACTING FOR LIFE

3435 W. Magnolia Blvd.

Burbank, CA

www.genebua.com

(818) 547-3810

Private coaching also available.

Bua offers ongoing morning and evening classes at his Acting for Life Theatre in Burbank, specializing in deep emotional work for those who "dare to become more powerful in their art and in their lives." Classes are filled mostly through industry recommendations or by interview and audition.

GLORIA GIFFORD CONSERVATORY

ggcreate@aol.com

www.gloriagiffordconservatory.com

(310) 535-4999 or (323) 465-4427

Private coaching available.

"We train professionals," says Gifford, who shares her 20 plus years of experience as a teacher and 30 years as a working actor. The GGC offers advanced scene study, intermediate, beginner, voice production, speech, cold reading on-camera, musical theatre classes, and celebrity speakers and directors.

BRUCE GLOVER

(310) 398-2539

Private coaching available.

Glover recently completed his 71st film, playing father to his son Crispin Glover, and his 74th film, "Buffalo Bushido," in which he played three characters. "I've been there. I help actors break out," explains Glover. "I teach techniques, inner and outer, for the real world of professional acting without forgetting it's an art. Offers classes on cold reading, auditions, tapes, accents, and career counseling.

THE GOBETTI-ORMENY ACTING STUDIO

at the Victory Theatre Center

3326 Victory Blvd.

Burbank, AZ 91505

www.thevictorytheatrecenter.org

(818) 841-4404

Maximum 16 students; free audit required.

Maria Gobetti is a working director, producer, and actor with over 25 years of teaching experience. She is a member of the DGA, and along with Tom Ormeny, is the co-artistic director of the Victory. Ormeny is the 2001 Ovation Award winner for leadership in theatre. Gobetti and Ormeny teach classes that include basic Meisner techniques, film and theatre scene study, and an advanced character and comedy class with attention to on-camera techniques. Cost $240 per month.

NIKOLAI GUZOV

12125 Riverside Drive

North Hollywood, CA 91607

www.guzovactingstudio.com

(213) 448-7648, Fax: (818) 753-5203

Guzov, a Russian acting teacher originally from St. Petersburg, specializes in the Chekhov technique and offers private and group classes.

HARRY MASTROGEORGE PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOP

600 Moulton St., Ste. 103B

Los Angeles, CA 90031

www.ameliaproductions.com

(323) 343-9102

The Harry Mastrogeorge Theatre offers a professional workshop, as well as courses for beginners and intermediate-level students. "Acting is a state of mind: innocence, imagination, and vulnerability."

DANIEL HENNING

at The Blank Theatre Company

classes@theblank.com

(323) 662-7734

Artistic director-producer of the award-winning Blank Theatre Company, Henning teaches an ongoing scene study class that focuses on unlocking an actor's hidden potential through script and character analysis, voice and relaxation work, and skill work to get the job. Productions directed by Henning have been honored with numerous Ovation Awards, L.A. Drama Critics Circle Awards, Back Stage West Garland Awards, and L.A. Weekly Awards.

Hoffman is a character actor best known for his work with several distinguished film directors Blake Edwards, Delbert Mann, Stanley Donen, Steven Spielberg, Sydney Pollack, Ron Howard, and Robert Redford. Hoffman is a longtime private acting teacher and lecturer at colleges and film schools including USC, AFI, and the Academie Libanaise des Beaux-Arts in Beirut, Lebanon. The author of "Cold Reading and How To Be Good at It," he offers classes on cold reading and professional acting. Private sessions by appointment.

HOLLYWOOD ACTORS STUDIO

Eric Stone

P.O. Box 570441

Tarzana, CA 91357

www.actingconnection.com

Studio: (310) 205-9219 Voicemail: (323) 460-2580

Toll-free: (877) 591-5400

Ongoing.

The Hollywood Actors Studio says it is a complete professional training ground, preparing actors for film, television, stage, commercials, and offering special development programs in voiceovers. Founder Eric Stone has an extensive background as a professional actor and director in theatre and multimedia. Open to all levels. Offers intensive private training and one-on-one workshops on cold reading scene study, performance, film and TV technique, in-depth character work, and improvisation.

HOLLYWOOD FILM & ACTING ACADEMY

1786 N. Highland Ave.

Hollywood, CA 90028

(323) 962-85554

The HFAA rogram is for beginning and advanced actors. Students who complete the program will be able to analyze scripts, find actions and objectives in their scenes, develop the sense of spontaneity needed to do improv, and develop self-presence. Actors will be able to build their character and be natural and believable in the process. Students learn the difference between television acting and commercial acting, commercial product handling management, and how to deliver commercial monologues. Students also learn how to use voice and body to best portray their character. The program also includes work in scene study, audition technique, improv, movement, voice, commercial, and the business of acting. Free demo reel upon completion of the program.

JAMES HONG

hongstudios@jameshong.com

www.jameshong.com

(323) 938-1490

Private coaching and consultation available.

Hong played Lo Pan in "Big Trouble in Little China" and principal roles in "Blade Runner" and "Chinatown," as well as appearing in hundreds of other films and TV shows over 51 years in the industry. He offers intense training and analysis of acting, primarily Stanislavsky-based, including scene study and acting technique breakdown and improv. Exercises and work are aimed at students' specific needs.

HOWARD FINE ACTING STUDIO

1445 N. Las Palmas Ave

Hollywood, CA 90028

info@howardfine.com

www.howardfine.com

(323) 962-1488

Fine, who began his studio in 1985, is the former director of American Musical and Dramatic Academy's acting department. He's studied with the Moscow Art Theatre, Heidi Helen Davis, Laura Gardner, Ted Brunetti, and Marilyn McIntyre. The studio curriculum includes comprehensive technique, and scene study. The studio also offers singing for actors, Alexander technique, and screenwriting. An audit and industry referral are required.

ANNE HULEGARD

www.hulegard.com

(310) 621-6303

Private coaching available.

Hulegard is a professional actor, writer, director, and producer for stage, film, and television, with over 14 years' experience. Her workshops include: scene study, improvisation, monologue, commercial, stage- and camera work, and the business of acting.

HULL ACTORS STUDIO

lorriehull@yahoo.com

(310) 828-0632

10 students maximum per class, private coaching available.

Mother-daughter team Lorrie and Dianne Hull offer classes and short-term workshops for actors that cover relaxation, concentration, improvisation, sense memory, affective memory, learning the role, motivating and justifying behavior, breaking down the script, cold reading, audition techniques, and scene study. An interview is suggested before or after a free introductory class.

INSTONE ACTORS STUDIO - NORA STONE

coach@instoneactorsstudio.com

www.instoneactorsstudio.com

(818) 888-3867

Private coaching available; introductory audit permitted.

Stone was the director of NYFA Film Acting program and has been teaching since 1991. She offers technique, scene study, cold reading, and improvisation, using a method culled from a variety of techniques. For acceptance she requires an interview, a strong commitment, and being coachable.

THE IVANA CHUBBUCK STUDIO

7201 Melrose Ave., Ste. 206

Los Angeles, CA 90046

(323) 935-2100

Auditing is available on Thu. nights by appointment only..

Chubbuck has taught such actors as Brad Pitt, Jim Carrey, Charlize Theron, Matthew Perry, Jon Voight, Garry Shandling, Elisabeth Shue, Eriq La Salle, Kate Bosworth, Eva Mendes, Terrence Howard, and James Franco. She received special thanks from Oscar winner Halle Berry for her work with the actor on "Monster's Ball."

JAMES LEVINE TYPECASTING INC.

www.typecastinginc.com

(310) 775-6616

Levine is a 20-year veteran of commercials and owner of Typecasting Inc., and also works as a commercial director. He teaches an ongoing commercial workshop focusing on audition skills, improv technique, making better choices, and booking work. Everyone works on-camera each class. Space is limited.

JANET ALHANTI STUDIO

www.janetalhantistudios.com

(323) 465-7511

P coaching and children's classes also available.

Alhanti, who has been teaching for over 25 years, studied with Sanford Meisner and Phillip Burton. She teaches a professional 20-week technique class twice a year, in January and July, that involves exercises and scene work. Students must be recommended.

JEANIE HACKETT: SCENE STUDY AND AUDITION TECHNIQUE

The Deaf West Theatre

5112 Lanksershim Blvd.

North Hollywood, CA 91601

www.jeaniehackett.com

(818) 763-5933

Auditing is welcome.

Hackett, the co-artistic director of the Antaeus Company, and the author of "The Actor's Chekhov" and "Toward Mastery," teaches a variety of classes in contemporary scene study and audition technique, as well as classical acting. She holds workshops on Chekhov's plays at colleges and universities across the country. "When I work with actors, I want them to be fearless, having the courage and skills to access all they've got-sexuality, humor, intelligence, need, unpredictability, warmth, confidence, aggression, vulnerability, charisma-so as to reveal an inner life that's bold, authentic, and arresting to watch."

JEFF HARDWICK CASTING

12439 Magnolia Blvd. #296

Studio City, CA 91607

www.jeffhardwickcasting.com

(818) 752-9898

Private coaching available; all levels; no auditing.

Hardwick an agent for 13 years in New York and L.A., and former casting director for features and TV, offers intensive commercial and theatrical workshops. His methodology is his own and describes it as "empowering yourself, with heavy emphasis on script interpretation and advanced audition techniques." Acceptance by referral.

JEREMIAH COMEY STUDIOS

www.jeremiahcomey.com

(818) 248-4104

All levels; auditing permitted with a fee.

Comey has been teaching film acting and training actors in Hollywood for the past 30 years. He has taught at AFI and the New York Academy of Film and guest-lectured at Loyola Marymount and UCLA. All classes are on-camera. He teaches his own approach called "The Art of Film Acting," which is also the title of his new book. Classes are held Mon.-Thu. nights, and Wed. days.

JILL PLACE BRANDACT BRANDING FOR ACTORS - COACHING AND E-BOOKS

The Acting Intuitive

1309 Montecito Dr.

Los Angeles, CA 90031

jill@actingintuitive.com

www.actingintuitive.com

(323) 225-9850

Place helps actors create their own personal brand and also does career consulting and headshot coaching. Place helps actors make acting magic and discover the best within themselves. Place also publishes the e-zine Acting Magic and is a regular writing contributor to NowCasting.com.

JOANNE BARON/D.W. BROWN STUDIO

320 Wilshire Blvd., Ste. 200

Santa Monica, CA 90401

www.baronbrown.com

(310) 451-3311

The Joanne Baron/D.W. Brown Studio offers a variety of programs for the professional and select preprofessional actor, writer, director, and producer. Preprofessional programs include a six-week intensive. The studio also offers continuing education programs, including a master class, vital acting, classical style work, audition technique, character interpretation and script analysis, and a scene study lab for working actors.

JOEL ASHER STUDIO

Sherman Oaks, CA

www.joel-asher-studio.com

(818) 785-1551

Asher, who has been teaching and directing for 30 years, offers three ongoing on-camera scene study classes ($250 per month), a cold reading class ($225 for six weeks), and an improvisation class ($150 per month). Class size is limited, so everyone works in every class. "I work with actors between classes at no charge," says Asher. "There are no limits to the time you can spend learning and doing, getting help with your career, or the techniques we use to get results." Asher's studio has produced the award-winning Actors at Work video series-Getting the Part, Casting Directors, Agents, Directors on Acting-and also produces state-of-the-art demo reels for actors. "I discover something new each time," says actor Nancie Rooney, a student of Asher's. "It makes sense to have many different tools. I am so eager to get to that next level."

JOHN KIRBY STUDIO

jkcoaching@sbcglobal.net

(323) 467-7877

Private coaching available.

One of Hollywood's most prominent acting coaches, Kirby has shared his expertise in all media, including interviews on A&E's Biography (on Cameron Diaz), HBO, USA, Entertainment Tonight, and E! Television. He offers three intensive scene study classes as well as a new young professional's class that are disciplined and require strong commitment. Class focus is on Uta Hagen's fundamentals with emphasis on exploring a character, script analysis, and finding the human condition.

JOHN SUDOL ACTING STUDIOS

www.johnsudolstudio.com

(818) 505-1223

Private coaching available.

Located in Studio City, this is an industry-recognized training and career development studio for actors. It provides commercial and theatrical training, career guidance, one-on-one coaching, and the opportunity to build relationships and network with fellow actors in an intimate setting. Free commercial and theatrical seminars available.

JROSE STUDIO

info@jrosestudio.com

www.jrosestudio.com

(323) 799-1183

Private coaching available.

Jamie Rose has been a professional actor in film, television, and theatre for over 25 years and has literally thousands of auditions under her belt. She has experienced it all, from generals and pre-reads to Network tests. In 2008 she added "Casting Director" to her resume when she cast a TV Movie for the SciFi channel and a Disney Web series. Her teaching methods are eclectic and practical, drawing from her 12 years of study with renowned acting coach Roy London, extensive study of Meisner technique, and professional experience. She offers scene study, audition workshops, and private coaching to all levels. Jamie understands the casting process from both sides of the table and gives students practical tools that take them from pre-audition to post-audition, and help book the job.

JUNE CHANDLER'S ACTORS WORKSHOP

www.junechandler.com

(626) 355-4572

Auditing is permitted.

Chandler and her staff of working professionals teach nearly 20 different classes allowing for individualized training programs and the development of well-rounded actors. Training is designed on a gradient starting with the beginning foundation classes: Nuts and Bolts of Acting Technique, Actors Image, and Commercials. Intermediate and advanced levels offer ongoing classes in commercials, improv, comedy, acting for the camera, cold reading, and scene study. Classes are "reasonably priced" with special referral credit, discounts, payment plans, and credit card options.

KATE McGREGOR-STEWART

Stage Light Inc.

6623 W. Olympic Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90048

www.katemcgregorstewart.com

(323) 939-3384

McGregor-Stewart's acting technique and scene work (foundation and master classes) include style, characterization, script breakdown, and improvisation. She holds workshops in Denver, Vancouver, and New York, and is a sought-after media coach. She also offers private coaching and will help select and direct monologues for auditions.

EDDIE KEHLER

www.eddiekehler.com

(310) 292-6163

Intermediate to advanced.

Kehler, who has been acting professionally for over 20 years, says the objective of his class is "to teach actors how to take their work to the next level by delving into the given circumstances." He offers Stanislavsky and Meisner based classes that give actor tools and experiences to draw from and take command of their choices. Each student is guaranteed to work every class.

KEN LERNER STUDIO

www.kenlerner.com

(818) 753-7744

Private coaching also available; auditing by arrangement.

Lerner offers ongoing cold reading and scene study classes and private coaching in a challenging but nurturing style. Lerner combines his own acting experience with techniques from his teachers: Stella Adler, Peggy Feury, and Roy London. Classes mix beginner to advanced, and cost $200-$250 a month.

KENT KLINEMAN ACTING STUDIO

3447 Motor Ave.

Los Angeles, CA 90034

www.kentklineman.com

(323) 665-6776

Private coaching available; free class audit.

Klineman, a Princeton graduate, won a Tony Award as part of the Broadway cast of "Death of a Salesman." He studied with Sanford Meisner at the Neighborhood Playhouse and with Kristin Linklater as a member of Shakespeare and Company. Klineman combines Meisner-based repetition and object work with Linklater voice work to enhance each student's creative impulses and produce truthful connection between scene partners.

JANICE KENT

janicekb@hotmail.com

www.janicekent.com

(818) 906-2201

Private coaching available.

With more than 30 years of experience as an actor, director, and coach, Kent says she designed her "Life Coaching" approach to aid the actor in understanding and identifying the fears and processes that block making risky choices bold and playful. She says her combination of the Meisner, Adler, and Spolin Improvisation techniques, experience, and heart encourage confidence and growth in skills. Kent offers private coaching, ongoing classes, and periodic sitcom intensive workshops.

KIMBERLY JENTZEN - LIVING THE ART INSTITUTE

kjentzen@yahoo.com

www.kimberlyjentzen.com

(818) 779-7770

Private coaching available; auditing permitted.

"Young people put so much of their energy into getting themselves in front of people, and they've got nothing to show," says Jentzen. "They need to invest in themselves." A coach for more than 19 years and an award-winning director, Jentzen incorporates Chekhov, Adler, and Meisner techniques along with insights from her own teachings. She says her style is tough yet encouraging, with on-the-mark specifics that build confidence in her students. Her classes offer professional training in cold reading, scene work, monologue work, on-camera training, and improv, with an emphasis on individual attention, using techniques to assist actors with their imagination, concentration, emotional range, choices, and performance consistency. Actors are accepted by interview only. Auditing allowed. Private coaching available. She also holds her Cold Reading Weekend Intensive regularly, as well as her Essence Weekend Intensive. Jentzen's book Acting With Impact will be available soon.

IRIS KLEIN

(213) 612-5224

Klein, who studied with Sanford Meisner and Janet Alhanti, offers a scene study and technique class. She also coaches actors for theatre, film, and television auditions. Children's classes also available.

MICHAEL KNOWLES

michael@7aproductions.com

Writer-director-producer Knowles offers private classes and coaching by interview. He feels exceptional acting teachers realize that for the most part teaching is not much more than providing an environment for students to develop trust in themselves more and more which develops confidence. Each actors journey is their own.

LARRY BIEDERMAN - DIRECTING AND ACTING CLASSES

www.larrybiederman.net

(818) 486-6399

Biederman's approach is to identify each artist's unique skills, then guide them to use and express that individuality more fully. He also offers scene study classes.

Teacher-director-actor James, who has worked professionally around the world, conducts ongoing workshops and private sessions offering a technique meant to "empower the actor to communicate as specifically, effectively, and as powerfully as possible. An actor must learn, as a musician, to know and play his/her full instrument." James, whose training ranges from Strasberg to Hagen, also directs and teaches at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and Theatre West. Limited enrollment.

LaVALLE ACTORS WORKSHOP

4645 Van Nuys Blvd., Ste. 202

Sherman Oaks, CA 91403

dlavalle19@yahoo.com

www.lavalleactorsworkshop.com

(818) 788-2183, Fax: (818) 788-6981

Small class size, private coaching available; free audit class.

LaValle teaches an eclectic technique melded from over 20 years of experience in stage, film, television, and commercial work. He teaches a way of "creating a character that draws from the vast experiences that each individual actor possesses." Every student works every week. New students are required to participate in a free class audit during which they will work on a monologue.

NATALIA LAZARUS

(310) 656-8070, ext 14

Lazarus, founder of the Promenade Playhouse and Promenade Conservatory, is a graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, NYU film program, and the Sorbonne University in Paris. Her directorial skills assist actors in character interpretation and development, and sharpen audition techniques needed to book jobs. Private coaching available.

Award-winning actor and author Lena Harris began her career as a dancer, working with such legendary choreographers as Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon. As an actor, she was honored with a Drama-Logue Award for her role as Elaine Nevazio in Neil Simon's "Last of the Red Hot Lovers." Her studio emphasizes work in dialects, impediments, emotional preparation, on-camera and audition techniques. Her book, "25 Five-Minute Power Scenes," was recently published by Smith and Kraus.

CATHLEEN LESLIE

cathleenleslie@earthlink.net

(310) 278-8113

Based on her studies with Lee Strasberg/ the Method and Stella Adler, and work with Elia Kazan, Leslie offers private coaching and weekly classes. She looks for students who have a true passion and desire to learn their craft. She has taught in Paris, France, and at the School of Visual Arts in N.Y.C., as well as at the Lee Strasberg Institute and at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. She is also a working director and a lifetime member of The Actors Studio.

LESSAC SUMMER VOICE AND BODY TRAINING WORKSHOPS

deb.kinghorn@unh.edu

www.lessacinstitute.com

(603) 862-1963

For almost 40 years, these workshops have offered intensive training in voice, body, and text exploration. Programs are intended for those in performance, in education, in broadcasting, or in communications. Workshops range from one week to four weeks and are taught in an all-day format.

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTING!

www.lightscameraacting.com

(714) 356-9800

LCA offers on-camera acting classes in Orange County for children, teens, and adults, taught by visiting professional actors from Los Angeles. Students learn audition and cold reading skills and basic acting techniques for commercials, TV, and film. Private coaching also available in L.A. and Costa Mesa.

LINDA BERRY'S BERRYWOOD

Linda Berry

P.O. Box 251455

Glendale, CA 91225

info@berrywood.net

www.berrywood.net

L.A. (310) 410-1836, or S.D. (619) 507-6395

Private and on set coaching also available; beginning and intermediate.; auditing not permitted.

Berry offers one-on-one training at her San Diego center and workshops in Los Angeles for beginning and intermediate actors. Training includes monologue work, on-camera cold reading, and scene study. Berry specializes in teaching children, but works with all actors from age 6 and up. Two-hour one-on-one training sessions are $50.

LISA DALTON STUDIOS INC.

www.lisadaltonstudios.com, www.chekhov.net

info@chekhov.net, lisa@lisadaltonstudios.com

Lisa Dalton is an award-winning international actor, teacher, director, and producer and is on the teacher certification board of the National Michael Chekhov Association. She offers courses in technique, cold reading, on-camera commercials, dramatic and comedic scene study, career management, promotional skills, and soap opera. The approach is primarily founded in Chekhov, with strong body-mind-spirit holistic approach.

BEVERLY LONG

(818) 754-6222

Long has worked in casting since the mid-1970's, and has worked as an actor, agent, teacher and perhaps best-known for her work with James Dean in "Rebel Without a Cause." Long offers classes in improv, commercials, television, and film. Everyone works on-camera two to three times each week.

LOS ANGELES ACTORS CENTER

14336 Ventura Blvd.

Sherman Oaks, CA 94123

www.laactorscenter.com

(818)562-0310

free audit class.

LAAC offers a broad range for all actors including foundation classes such as Meisner, industry nuts-and-bolts classes, such as "How To Book TV/ Film Jobs in Hollywood: Seven Simple Steps to Awesome Auditions" and one-day workshops.

Lyons is a working actor-teacher who wants his students to "learn what to apply and how to apply with actual workable technique." Students who have studied with Lyons include Juliette Lewis, Heather Locklear, Danny Masterson, Clea DuVall, Jason Dohring, and many others. Professional classes and private sessions offered.

NED MANDERINO

Manderino Workshop

P.O. Box 27758

Los Angeles, CA 90027

ned@mandarino.com

www.manderino.com

(323) 665-0123

Limited to 12 students.

Manderino has been a post-Stanislavsky acting coach in Los Angeles since the 1970s. He combines total Method principles that he learned initially from Stella Adler and then, for six years, from his close friends and mentors Lee Strasberg and Harold Clurman. As a coach-director, he has, aside from Los Angeles, worked in New York, New Orleans, Great Britain, Germany, Austria, Greece, Japan, Russia, and Italy. Reasonable fees.

JEFFREY MARCUS

www.jeffreymarcus.com

(323) 965-9392

Private coaching available; auditing available.

Marcus incorporates spirit-enriching methods to arrive at acting that takes actors off the page and into their hearts. He assists actors on TV, features, and stage and accepts referrals from agents, managers, and casting directors. Actors work every week.

MARGIE HABER STUDIOS

Margie Haber

971 N. La Cienega Blvd., 2nd fl

West Hollywood, CA 90069

www.margiehaber.com, www.myspace.com/margiehaberstudios

(310) 854-0870

12 maximum per class; foundation, intermediate, advanced; no audting.

Margie Haber Studios offers on-camera audition technique and cold reading workshops. With more than 25 years of experience, Haber is an internationally renowned auditioning coach and has taught A-list Hollywood actors her technique that is based on her book, How to Get The Part Without Falling Apart. Among her clients: Brad Pitt, Halle Berry, Vince Vaughn, Heather Locklear, Kristin Davis, Mariska Hargitay, and Molly Sims. All of the studio's instructors train in Haber's method, Stop Acting and Start Living the Life of the Person. Actors begin with taking an "intensive" course at their level, followed by an ongoing course. Intensives $500-$650, ongoing $250. Private coaching available. Before enrolling, students must attend orientations, held at the studio every Monday at 1:30 p.m.; bring a headshot and résumé.

Kathleen Mazzola, artistic director at the Malibu Stage Company for eight years, is known for her simple, direct, and oftentimes hilarious method of teaching the art of acting. Her classes focus on improvisation, scene study, and preparing the actor for auditions and a professional career. Class size and space are limited.

MEGAN FOLEY CASTING

www.meganfoleycasting.com

(818) 216-9350

Foley offers one-day commercial intensives, for adults and for kids.

THE MET THEATRE

1089 N. Oxford Ave.

Los Angeles, CA 90029

mettheatre@sbcglobal.net

www.themettheatre.com

(323) 957-1152, Fax: (323) 957-1831

Private coaching available; auditing allowed.

The award-winning MET Theatre, one of the longest-running Equity-waiver houses in Los Angeles, offers a selection of ongoing and semester-structured professional theatre and film labs for actors, writers, and directors. Labs are led by such working professionals as Steve Whitaker, Susan Emshwiller, Bo Crowell, Rob Tobin, Flint Esquerra, Paul Koslo, and Caroline Ducroq.

MICHAEL D. NYE DYNAMIC ACTING

(818) 509-1629

Actor-director Nye ("Carnivàle") uses innovative warm-ups, exercises, and scenes to achieve more-dynamic, powerful, and consistent actor performances for film, television (including commercials), and stage. Nye's approach dramatically increases the actor's chances to bring fresh insights into his or her work. He offers a "supportive class for committed actors." Author of the forthcoming book "Dynamic Acting."

MILLIE SLAVIN STUDIOS

www.millieslavinstudios.com

(310) 582-3485

Slavin's training includes extensive study with Uta Hagen and Roy London. Slavin is a sought after acting coach and offers a variety of services for group or private instruction, including scene study, technique, cold reading, and preparation for auditions. Classes are available for children, as are seminars on acting for writers.

LAUREN PATRICE NADLER

lpnclass1@aol.com

(818) 202-0774

Nadler is a bicoastal director, actor, and coach-teacher who has also done casting. She is actively directing independent films while teaching, directing, and consulting. coming. Nadler offers classes at all levels and is available for private coaching and consulting, as well as to direct stage and film projects.

NEW YORK FILM ACADEMY

www.nyfa.com

(818) 733-2600

This academy offers one-year and short-term programs in directing for film, acting for film, screenwriting, producing, and 3-D animation and special effects. Year-round, summer, and evening workshops available, as are hands-on total immersion workshops. The academy now offers Bachelor of Arts and Master of Fine Arts degree programs. Located in Universal Studios; branches in New York and London.

NICOLAS COSTER STUDIO

www.nicolascoster.net

(213) 952-5685

Limited to 15, private coaching also available; all levels.

Coster's trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and the Neighborhood Playhouse, and with Lee Strasberg, Sanford Meisner, Milton Katselas, and Frank Silvera. He is currently adjunct professor at the University of Georgia. Classes include cold reading, scene study, exercises, and improv. Interview and commitment required.

NATALIJA NOGULICH

www.natalijanogulich.com

(323) 464-1222

Auditing allowed.

An award-winning theatrical producer-director and Broadway, TV, and film actor, Nogulich has been teaching acting for over 18 years and is the founder and artistic director of the Grace Players Theatre Company in Los Angeles. Nogulich offers private coaching and scene study classes focusing on the Stanislavsky approach to acting. Her scene study class meets Tue. nights and costs $40 per class or $150 per month. Classes are held at the Egyptian Arena Theatre, a fully equipped 99-Seat theatre in Hollywood.

ORANGE COUNTY PROFESSIONAL ACTORS' WORKSHOP WITH ELIZABETH KENT

ekent949@sbcglobal.net

(949) 675-3272

10 students maximum.

In addition to Kent's 39 directorial credits for theatre in Los Angeles and Orange County, she has over 16 years experience as an acting coach for film, TV, and theatre. Her students have found professional representation through her annual actors showcase in Los Angeles.

ORANGE COUNTY SONG & DANCE CO.

5860 Westminster Blvd.

Westminster, CA 92683

www.orangecountysonganddance.com

(714) 897-4475

This company offers two summer sessions for ages 9 to young adult in acting for the camera, addressing script reading, camera presence, cold reading, and audition techniques. Character analysis and portrayal will be presented in an on-camera environment.

A casting director, producer, director, actor, and teacher, Passero offers scene study and audition technique classes and private audition coaching. He has a successful feature film casting career of more than 50 movies and began his acting career at the Roundabout Theatre before taking over the casting there for two seasons. He trained as an actor with Terry Schreiber and Larry Moss, studied at HB Studios, has a BFA in theatre from Catholic University, and studied musical theatre with David Craig. Ongoing classes. Affordable prices. Auditing encouraged.

THE PINE CREEK BLONDE ACTING STUDIO

Gene Desrochers

10951 Pico Blvd., Ste. 203

Los Angeles, CA

problemsolvergene@yahoo.com

(310) 709-6545

Private coaching available; audits allowed.

Desrochers has studied and performed for more than 12 years. He has a background in the Strasberg method with Chuck Marra, and he has studied at the Chubbuck Studio in Los Angeles. He offers comprehensive, ongoing classes on audition technique, scene study, and career counseling.

PLAYHOUSE WEST SCHOOL AND REPERTORY THEATRE

www.playhousewest.net

(818) 881-6520

Robert Carnegie and Jeff Goldblum founded this school in 1981. The faculty members take an ensemble approach to teaching in the theatre's ongoing beginning, intermediate, advanced, and senior advanced classes. The playhouse, which has a second North Hollywood location, Playhouse West Studio Two, also regularly develops and stages plays with members of the senior advanced class. Free audit is required.

RANDOLPH STUDIO FOR ACTOR TRAINING

randolphstudio4actors@adelphia.net

(323) 882-6669

Small classes, private coaching available.

Kate Randolph runs her own studio in Hollywood, teaching classes at all levels: beginning, intermediate, and pro. Concrete, universal tools are taught, with an emphasis is on finding joy in the work, "getting out of the head and into the heart and soul." Her class environment is supportive and nurturing, and at the same time pushes each actor to take risks and go beyond perceived limitations. She draws on her varied training with Uta Hagen, Stella Adler, Michael Moriarty, and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. Every student works each session.

DALE REHFELD

www.daleyclass.com

(818) 986-9733

Private coaching is available.

Rehfeld combines a cold reading/acting class with a hands-on showcase in an effort to create "a supportive, intimate workshop setting." Invited guests include top filmmakers, producers, and casting directors from television and feature films. She recently coached on the feature film "Within". She also has a Pros and Kids youth division for children and teens.

THE RICHARD LAWSON STUDIOS AT THE BEVERLY HILLS PLAYHOUSE

richard@richard-lawson.com

www.richardlawsonstudios.com

(818) 793 -8767

Private coaching available; no auditing.

Lawson is an award-winning actor-director with 30 years' experience, having appeared in more than 50 films, 100 TV shows, and 50 plays. He has taught at the Beverly Hills Playhouse for 25 years. He offers a course titled "The On-Camera Audition and Cold Reading Class," which provides DVD documentation to students by the course's end. All levels, taught in 12-week courses that must be started from the beginning; new classes are formed every four weeks. $900 per 12-week course. Also, 16-week Boot Camp Course for advanced actors with industry experience, $1,200. Deposit required to reserve a place. No auditing. Private coaching available. 254 S. Robertson Blvd., Beverly Hills CA 90211.

RICHARD SEYD ACTING STUDIO

4949 Hollywood Blvd., Ste. 203

Hollywood, CA 90027

studio@seydways.com

www.seydways.com

(323) 668-1475

12 students per class; auditing is permitted.

"Richard Seyd knows what he's doing. You cannot do better," says Peter Coyote. In Seyd's ongoing labs actors are able to work on every aspect of their craft. Actors work every week. The studio hosts free orientations, led by Seyd, every six to eight weeks, which provide a good way to meet Seyd and learn more about the studio. Reservations required.

ROB REECE ACTORS WORKSHOP

www.methodacting.com

(310) 859-9696; in San Francisco, (415) 928-8929

Free audit.

Rob Reece is a 37-year veteran of film, TV, and theatre. Based in Los Angeles with classes in San Francisco, Reece teaches Progressive Method Acting, which he describes as "in-depth instrument work, craft tools described and demonstrated, understanding tension, inspiration, character work, script analysis, and the unconscious creative process."

LISA ROBERTSON

info.lisarobertson@earthlink.net

www.lisarobertsonstudio.com

(310) 826- 7466

Private coaching available; intermediate to professional levels; audit is mandatory; headshot and résumé required on audit.

Robertson is a well-known coach in feature film and television. A protégé of Larry Moss, with whom she trained for nine years, Robertson is also guest faculty at the Michael Howard Studios in New York, where she teaches on-camera audition intensives. She offers ongoing scene-study/technique class, with an emphasis on stage and film. Also weekend on-camera audition intensives. Requirements for acceptance: commitment and passion for the work, assessed after phone interview and class audit. Personal referral helpful.

RON BURRUS ACTING STUDIO

www.ronburrus.com

(323) 953-2823

Private coaching available.

Burrus says he is the only technique teacher apprentice trained by Stella Adler and taught with her for 10 years in NYC and L.A. before opening his own studio 20 years ago. Burrus Studio offerings include a daytime foundation seminar, eight month intensives, rehearsal/performance, film character, on-camera auditioning and more. Burrus emphasizes imagination as an actor's primary tool and the releasing of talent through understanding and actions.

AL ROSSI

(818) 902-1538 or (323) 953-4000, ext. 2975

12 students maximum.

Rossi, a veteran actor-director, is one of the most respected acting teacher-coaches in Los Angeles. He is head of acting at LACC's Theatre Academy, the oldest continuous actor-training program on the West Coast. Shakespeare is his specialty.

THE SACRED ACTOR: THE UN-LA CLASS

Josh Galitsky

The Lounge Theater

6201 Santa Monica Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90038

josh@sacredactor.com

www.sacredactor.com

(310) 392-8212

Josh Galitsky, M.A., tells us he is a "vibrant, humorous, and empathetic acting teacher-director," who uses his 15 years of training and therapeutic skills to guide theatre artists in the mastery of their art and craft. He uses his own methodology, The Process, to help each actor draw on his or her individual strengths and realize full potential for creative freedom and expression in a safe, fun, nonjudgmental atmosphere.

JOE SALAZAR

(323) 882-6433

Salazar offers ongoing beginning/intermediate and advanced classes and works with only those actors who are willing to put in the work required to seriously start or continue and acting career. Classes focus on scene study, monologue work, character creation, improvisational skills, and audition techniques that are designed to create the environment of auditions. He also offers an on-camera class. Salazar is an award-winning director with over 20 years of teaching experience. Private coaching offered. Auditing allowed. Reasonable rates.

SAM CHRISTENSEN STUDIOS

10440 Burbank Blvd.

North Hollywood, CA 91601

www.samchristensen.com

(818) 506-0783, Fax: (818) 506-8941

Limited to 14 students; auditing is not permitted.

Christensen, a former casting director for "M*A*S*H," teaches ongoing classes devoted to assisting actors in becoming the most confident, powerful and compelling individuals they can be.

SANDRA K. HORNER PERFORMANCE STUDIO

skhperformance@aol.com

www.sandrakhorner.com

(818) 997-6740

Private coaching available.

Horner began her 27-year career in NYC, where she trained directly with the master teacher from the Group Theatre, Robert Lewis. She founded the Performance Studio in Minneapolis, and she has taught there and in L.A. for the past 17 years. Horner creates a supportive environment for the actor where she demystifies the Method and helps students build confidence through a solid understanding of the acting craft. Private coaching/directing available for marketing the actor and important auditions; affordable hourly rates. Her next free class is Sat., May, 2.

SANTA MONICA PLAYHOUSE ACTORS' WORKSHOP

1211 Fourth St., Ste. 201

Santa Monica., CA 90401-1391

www.santamonicaplayhouse.com

(310) 394-9779, ext. 673, Fax: (310) 393-5573

Private coaching available.

"To the actor," says co-artistic director Chris DeCarlo, " 'class' is that special environment we create for ourselves in which we may practice the ritual of discovering our creative being." That's the kind of environment DeCarlo strives to create at the Santa Monica Playhouse in this eight-week workshop that uses improv to teach actors to make powerful and immediate choices for auditions, as well as performance work, by unleashing creativity, developing exciting characters, and conquering the critic within. He is entering his 38th year as teacher of the workshop. Acceptance to classes is by interview.

DAVID NATHAN SCHWARTZ

info@davidnathanschwartz.com

www.davidnathanschwartz.com

(310) 435-4322

Schwartz helps the actor develop and define his or her own set of flexible and practical approaches to acting and the auditioning process. Classes, private audition coaching, and on-set coaching are available.

SCOTT COLOMBY

www.scottcolomby.com

(323) 650-6472

Auditing is encouraged.

Colomby's workshop was originally conceived as a class geared toward the actor's personal growth within the confines of a scene study group, but now includes showcasing and production of plays.

SCOTT SEDITA ACTING STUDIOS

Scott Sedita

Tony Rago, administrator

526 N. Larchmont Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90004-1300

www.scottseditaacting.com

(323) 465-6152, Fax: (323) 465-6202

16 per class; beginning, intermediate, and advanced; limited auditing is permitted. Contact the studio for specifics.

Former agent and casting director Scott Sedita, the 2008 Back Stage Readers Choice winner for best acting coach, is also the author of the books "The Eight Characters of Comedy" and "Scott Sedita's Guide to Making It in Hollywood." The Sedita Studio is where the actor's craft and career come together. Sedita developed the careers of Matt LeBlanc, Courteney Cox, and Christopher Meloni among others, and has worked with such talents as Josh Duhamel, Chase Crawford, and Brandon Routh. Sedita is best known for his one day Comedy Intensive and Professional Audition Technique class. Todd Rohrbacher heads the comedy department and teaches the On-Camera TV/Film Comedy class. Deborah Quayle teaches the On-Camera TV/Film Drama class. Patrick Munoz teaches Nuts & Bolts, an Introduction to TV/Film Acting and provides training in voice and speech. Casting director Josh Rappaport teaches the On-Camera Commercial Intensive. Elizabeth Bauman teaches the on-camera kids workshop.

SCREEN ACTORS STUDIO

Sonia Darmei-Lopes

www.screenactorsstudio.com

(310) 358-5942

Private coaching available; allevels.

Darmei-Lopes has taught for more than 15 years and has worked in casting with agents and managers, as well as a professional actor in television, film, and theatre. Classes include commercial and theatrical, and are geared toward "turning the creative potential of the individual student into a successful audition." All classes include camera work.

CLAIR SINNETT

info@actorsworking.com

www.actorsworking.com

(310) 606-5626

Sinnett has been an actor, SAG agent, casting director, and faculty member of universities and performing arts schools. She offers intensive two-day TV/film audition and marketing workshops, based on her book "Actors Working-The Actor's Guide to Marketing Success." She also offers ongoing services in designing marketing plans, promotional tools, and strategies.

MELISSA SKOFF

www.melissaskoff.com

(818) 760-2058

Private coaching available.

Casting director Skoff teaches cold reading and audition technique classes for working and advanced actors. She has cast more than 100 feature films, MOWs, pilots, and series. In 2001 she was named among Hollywood's Top 20 TV Casting Directors by Ross Reports. Classes are purchased by the month; an audition is required.

SOUTH COAST REPERTORY

P.O. Box 2197

Costa Mesa, CA 92628-2197

www.scr.org

(714) 708-5577

All levels.

This respected Orange County theatre has an extensive education program through the Theatre Conservatory, directed by Hisa Takakuwa. The Conservatory includes a five-year Youth and Teen Program, with its introductory Summer Theatre Workshop. The adult program for those 18 and older offers weekly evening classes in beginning through advanced acting, improvisation, acting for the camera, musical theatre, and playwriting. The four acting levels take students from the fundamentals through advanced technique, including individual instruction in performance, scene work, characterization, and script analysis. The Professional Intensive Program is an eight-week summer course for serious career actors, who are accepted through audition. Classes include audition technique, script analysis, voice, Shakespeare, and physical characterization. The director of the Professional Intensive Program is LADCC winner Karen Hensel, who teaches alongside a staff of seasoned professionals.

Billed as "the L.A. Workshop in Orange County," Lloyd's actors training center focuses on talent development, career coaching, and establishing connections in the entertainment industry. Lloyd also offers industry showcases and a class for children. Private coaching available.

STEPHEN BOOK ACTING WORKSHOP

stephenbook@stephenbook.com

www.stephenbook.com

(323) 461-4263

Book, a former faculty member at Juilliard and USC, teaches improvisation technique in a workshop setting tailored for professionals. scripted lines. Students have included Val Kilmer, George Carlin, Maura Tierney, David Boreanaz, and Tate Donovan. He is also the new book, "The Actor Takes a Meeting: How to Interview Successfully With Agents, Managers, Producers, and Casting Directors."

STEPPENWOLF WEST

www.steppclasseswest.com

Jeff Perry and Tom Irwin of Steppenwolf grew up in an actor-driven theatre where trust, challenge and practice led to individual and collaborative growth. The goal for their Los Angeles classes is to create an environment where an actors' work is respected and practicing craft is paramount. Classes are a place for actors to practice, to challenge oneself, and grow.

STEVE EASTIN STUDIO

10107 Camarillo St.

Toluca Lake,, CA 91602

steve@eastinstudio.com

www.eastinstudio.com

(818) 980-9828

Private coaching available; auditing permitted.

Eastin's studio in Toluca Lake offers evening and daytime ongoing classes for film and television actors with an emphasis on cold reading and audition technique. Classes are taught by veteran actor Eastin, who also teaches graduate directors at USC. In 2003 he appeared in "Matchstick Men," "Catch Me If You Can," and "A Man Apart," and in 2006 he was in "The Black Dahlia with Hilary Swank" he has appeared in "Austin Powers," "Con Air," and "Field of Dreams." On television, Eastin has made more than 200 guest-starring appearances, most recently on "Gilmore Girls" and "Without a Trace." He has 20 years of teaching experience. Free audits are allowed, but admission to the classes, which are $195 a month, is by interview only.

STUART ROGERS' ACTING STUDIO

Theatre Tribe

5267 Lankershim Blvd.

North Hollywood, CA 91601

www.stuartrogersstudios.com

(818) 763-3232

Rogers has taught for the last 10 years. Current and former students are network- and cable-television regulars, acting on Broadway and performing in big-budget feature films. He offers scene study for all levels. Private coaching available.

STUDIO C ARTISTS

John Coppola and Michael Sonntag

www.studiocartists.com

(323) 988-1175

This all-encompassing acting studio offers a curriculum of acting classes, career-related seminars, and workshops. Teachers are industry professionals who use a formula that trains each actor to use and market his or her individual talents, assets, and personality.

Director of "The Big Kahuna," starring Kevin Spacey and Danny DeVito, Swanbeck offers classes limited to five people. Instruction includes how to command the camera, and how to be more powerful onscreen.

TAKE AFTER TAKE

dennis@takeaftertake.com

www.takeaftertake.com

(310) 601-3088

Veteran actor-producer-director Dennis Sakamoto offers two one-day professional workshops to prepare actors for the reality of acting on a film set. The first workshop, "Take After Take," teaches actors to prepare their emotion and deliver their performance under a variety of pressures, including rapid and repeat takes, acting with nonactors, and the like. "Marks and Matching" focuses on teaching actors to hit marks and match action for continuity. Workshops are held in Los Angeles and New York City.

TED BRUNETTI STUDIO

tedbrunettistudio@tedbrunetti.com

(310) 403-0123

8-12 per class, also private coaching; auditing welcome.

Uta Hagen's protégé for 20 years , Brunetti was hand-selected and trained by Hagen to be a successor and placed on the faculty of the HB Studio in NYC. Brunetti Studio offers on-camera acting, audition, scene study, cold reading and commercial classes as well as coaching and tapings for auditions. Brunetti also worked several years at ABC Prime Time Casting in NYC assisting Alexa Fogel and Bob Huber. He teaches master classes across the country at universities, colleges, and theatres.

TERRY BERLAND - BERLAND CASTING

Terry Berland

2329 Purdue Ave

Los Angeles, 90064

www.berlandcasting.com

(310) 775-6608

Berland teaches an on-camera technique workshop designed to enable talent to give the small commercial space multiple dimensions and reveal depth and layers of their personality in less than 30 seconds. She says, "Through becoming familiar with how to utilize space, beats, and moments, talent will then have control of their audition and be able to apply who they are and how they feel to any given situation. The end result will be a performance that is connected and involved in the scene, as opposed to a sell." Berland is a Cleo Award-winning casting director who has been casting commercials for more than 20 years, co-author of "Breaking Into Commercials," and called on nationally to teach commercial acting. In L.A., she offers a six-week on-camera workshop.

THEATRE GROUP STUDIO

Lorinne Vozoff, Artistic Director

2653 S. Robertson Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90034

www.theatregroupstudio.com

(310) 839-9771

All levels.

Theatre Group Studio Los Angeles teaches Method acting using the technique of objective, problem, and action, along with the "inner creative state," "super objective," and "core" as defined by Stanislavsky. The three-course program includes the use of emotional memory, concentration, communion, adaptation, and restraint. Beginning to advanced levels, day and evening classes offered. Interview required.

THEATRE WEST ASSOCIATE PROGRAM

3333 Cahuenga Blvd. W.

Los Angeles, CA 90068

(818) 851-4839

This program provides a weekly three-hour class conducted by Laura James, professional director-teacher-actor. Theatre West has been a professional actor-membership theatre for approximately 45 years. As an associate member, in lieu of regular tuition, a work-trade of 10 hours per month plus a $10 monthly fee are required. The class is geared to develop actors at all levels, and the approach encompasses eclectic techniques and is primarily Stanislavsky oriented. An audition is required.

From "MacGyver" and "Stephen King's: It" to MTV's "Undressed" and "The Andy Dick Show," including award-winning indie films, Tillman has been casting for 25 years. He cast actors such as Cuba Gooding Jr., Hilary Swank, Brittany Murphy, and Adrien Brody early in their careers. Classes focus on understanding the character, freeing emotions, and strengthening communication to help his students in the audition.

TIM PHILLIPS STUDIO-L.A.

www.timphillipsstudio.com

(310) 772-8262

Private coaching sessions available.

Phillips worked as an actor with Meryl Streep, Robert Duvall, and Klaus Maria Brandauer, and ignited the careers of Wendy Malick, Nancy Travis, and Richard Schiff, to name a few. He currently has three ongoing audition classes, monthly lectures, and a quarterly scene study class with an invited presentation at the end. More than 92 percent of his students have booked the auditions they brought into class in the last eight months. Interview or referral required for all classes.

TOM TODOROFF STUDIO

www.tomtodoroff.com

(310) 428-3388

"Are you ready to change your life?" asks Tom Todoroff. "Train with those who have manifested professional work themselves." He says his actor training will put you on track and provide you with a personalized road map to reach your highest potential. He has directed, coached, produced for, or acted with Harrison Ford, Tommy Lee Jones, Kevin Costner, Helen Hunt, Samuel L. Jackson, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Liam Neeson, to name a few. Evening and daytime classes available. Actors work on scenes, monologues, audition pieces, cold reading, and on-camera technique.

TONY TORRISI'S ACTING WORKSHOP

(310) 569-1439

Private coaching available; auditing okay.

A member of the Actors Studio, having studied with Lee Strasberg in New York, Torrisi came West to work in TV. A 35-year acting veteran, he has been coaching fellow actors for 12 years and now teaches small ongoing classes in West L.A., covering cold reading, improvisation, scene work, and camera technique, for "a well-rounded approach." Classes are $125 a month or $35 per class.

THE TOTAL WORKSHOP FOR ACTING, CREATED BY MICHAEL SAVAGE

www.thetotalworkshopforacting.com

(818) 762-5769

Private coaching is available.

Savage is an alumni member of the Tony Award honoree The Acting Company, founded by John Houseman and Margot Harley and a former star of "General Hospital." Savage's workshops cast each student in a role the student will be hired for, so students have the opportunity to work on many roles and have them archived and stored; they may order a custom reel that he says helps them sell their abilities as an actor.

TVI ACTORS STUDIO

14429 Ventura Blvd., Ste. 118

Sherman Oaks, CA 91423

www.tvistudios.com

(818) 784-6500

Founded in 1986, TVI Actors Studio is a nationwide resource and training center for professional and aspiring actors with studios in Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago, and conducts programs abroad at campuses in London and Sydney. TVI offers comprehensive and affordable acting classes, workshops, and seminars in all of its locations, including acting for film, television, and musical theatre, for all ages and skill levels.

This program offers a diverse and comprehensive acting curriculum taught by industry professionals. Courses cover all aspects of the business, from handling weaponry onstage to managing a career. Topics include basic techniques, scene study, camera work, auditioning, standup, voiceover, career advancement, and insider insight into how the business works. Participants can enroll in individual courses or a comprehensive certificate program, and enrollment is open. Fees vary. Classes are held on the UCLA campus, at UCLA Extension facilities in Westwood, and at local theatres.

THE VALLETTA WORKSHOP

Al Valletta

www.vallettaworkshop.com

(760) 941-3208

Valletta has taught acting for film and TV for over 30 years in the Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego areas. He has taught at the college level and privately, and formerly owned the Backstage Theatre in Orange County. His workshop offers ongoing 12-week programs on film and TV acting. Showcases are presented at the end of each semester.

THE VINCENT CHASE WORKSHOP

7221 W. Sunset Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90046

www.vincentchaseworkshop.com

(323) 851-4819

Private coaching also available for auditions and film assignments.

The workshop holds classes six days per week that include scene study, cold reading labs and techniques, dialects and speech, commercials, comedy improv, camera techniques, acting theory, and industry seminars.

THE VISION ACTING STUDIO

Justine Visone

(818) 506-4302

Visone teaches an acting workshop with partner Kurt Sinclair, an actor-teacher, using the Meisner technique word games (the repeat), improvisation exercises, monologues, and cold reading on-camera to record progress. Workshops include professional guest speakers and a professional showcase. Three-hour classes, everyone works. Interview required.

DERYN WARREN

deryn@sbcglobal.net

www.derynwarren.com

(323) 936-0195

Private coaching available.

Warren, a film director-writer-actor, offers ongoing classes in audition and film technique, based on Michael Shurtleff's book Audition. "I am his designated L.A. teacher," says Warren. "I teach how to risk, how to rise above the crowd, and how to make exciting choices. Small classes include script analysis, improv, and cold readings.

DEBRA WATSON

www.yellowrosesproductions.com

(310) 500-6727

Watson, a private coach for adults, teens, and kids, teaches in the Beverly Hills area. She offers basic cold reading techniques for beginning and advanced actors which include character development and script analysis. Sessions are often videotaped for immediate constructive and practical critiques.

WCI STUDIOS-BILLY COWART

7542 Collett Ave.

Van Nuys, CA

billy.wcistudios@mac.com

www.wcistudios.com

(310) 230-5358

Private coaching available; all levels; auditing permitted.

WCI will contradict everything you've ever been told about acting and it will confirm everything you suspected to be true," says Cowart. He leads a staff of working actors, casting directors and directors, and a therapist. Courses include on-camera auditions, "Frozen Readings," "Nailing the One Line-Wonders," script analysis, monologues, improv, commercials, goals-vision-mission-intensive, and marketing. Students must be punctual and seriously interesting in learning. Additional locations in San Diego and Murietta.

WEIST-BARRON-HILL ACTING FOR TELEVISION AND FILM

4300 W. Magnolia

Burbank, CA 91505

www.weistbarronhillacting.com

(818) 846-5595

The first on-camera workshop in the country started as Weist/Barron 50 years ago in New York; Lyle and Andrea Hill opened the Burbank branch 29 years ago. Soap producer Lyle B. Hill and former commercial casting director and psychologist Andrea Hill teach an array of on-camera classes, but the centerpiece is the duo's 10-session commercial TV workshop. "We use our own cold reading technique, devised over the years," says Andrea. The workshop culminates in an industry showcase.

WENDY HAINES IGNITE YOUR CAREER WORKSHOPS

www.wendyhaines.com

(310) 395-3246

Private coaching available.

Haines ("ER," "The West Wing," "Art School Confidential") has developed a system to master the "inner game" of succeeding as an actor. "Discover what holds you back, effectively move beyond what keeps you stuck, and set goals to achieve what you want," she says. Haines offers a one-day Ignite Your Career workshop four times a year, one-on-one career coaching, and a home-study version of her workshop.

CARYN WEST

carynwest@mac.com

groups.yahoo.com/group/carynwest-actorsla

(323) 876-0394

Private coaching available.

Agents and managers refer most of her students, West says. She coaches many well-known working actors. Advanced scene study (co-taught with Jessica Kubzansky) is limited to 14 and by industry referral only. In West's 11-week audition skills sessions and in her private coaching, the emphasis is on preparation, in-depth script analysis, understanding different theatre and camera genres, goal setting, professionalism, creative risk-taking, the essential uses of breath, and the "freedom to play," and simulating all aspects for a real audition, not just reading the text. West, a working actor and director with extensive TV, Broadway, and regional theatre credits, has taught for 20 years in New York at Michael Howard Studios (and still teaches there twice a year). Her studio is in West Hollywood. Private coaching is $90 for 75 minutes and $75 per hour to current students. She offers classes in late Jan.-May, late Aug., and early Sept.

WILLIAM ALDERSON STUDIO

1103 N. El Centro Ave.

Hollywood, CA 90038

www.aldersonstudio.com

(323) 466-0799

16 students maximum.

A successful New York actor who studied with Sanford Meisner, Alderson began teaching at Meisner's insistence and served as his assistant and associate director at the Neighborhood Playhouse for more than 20 years. Alderson, who came to Los Angeles in 1994 and now offers the Meisner technique in its intended two-year study period, describes it as a "technical approach, teaching the actor technical tools so he can organically work out of himself. To act from the inside out is not easy, but once that is learned, it becomes like a religion to the talented actor, and he will not settle for less." Classes meet twice a week, and the price is $250 a month. Classes are limited to 16 students, and everyone works every class. There is also a graduate class, from which students are permitted to audition for shows presented at the theatre. Acceptance into class is by interview only.

ART WOLFF

(323) 227-8363

As a teacher, Wolff spent seven years on the faculty of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. As a director, he's helmed 15 TV pilots (including Seinfeld) and five Broadway plays (including Penn & Teller). Among the many actors he has worked with is Academy Award winner Sean Penn, who said Wolff "has a special gift for getting the best out of an actor's talent. About his approach to acting, he adds, "If you want to glow like a star, you have to walk through the fire, which means you have to work without a net to make bold and exciting choices."

THE WORKSHOP WITH ELIZABETH PAYNE

Sidewalk Studio Theatre

4150 W. Riverside Dr.

Burbank, CA 91505

elizpayne@sbcglobal.net

www.theworkshopla.com

(323) 644-3380

Private coaching available; auditing is encouraged.

Payne's practical approach to training helps actors identify their casting, play to their strengths for auditions, establish a professional game plan, and make their work stand out from the crowd. Class time is devoted to a combination of group and individual exercises and scene study. She combines stanislavsky-based methods with improv theatre games and outside-in techniques to give the actor a variety of ways "in" to the text. Ongoing classes. An interview is required for acceptance.

WYNN MARLOW ACTORS WORKSHOP

(310) 470-7973

Private coaching and audition preparation available.

In the tradition of Michael Shurtleff, Marlow offers scene study and cold reading classes based on the "12 Guideposts" laid out in Shurtleff's acclaimed book "Audition." Marlow teaches actors at all levels how to ask the questions and make the choices that produce the truest, fullest, and most compelling work. Marlow is also a director of theatre and has been casting for film and TV since 1997.

CLASSICAL

This listing includes coaches and institutions that almost exclusively teach approaches to classical work, especially but not exclusively Shakespeare. Many conservatories listed under "Acting Schools," as well as in other categories, also offer specialized classes in classical work. Check other categories for details.

THE ANTAEUS ACADEMY

4916 Vineland Ave.

North Hollywood, CA 91601

antaeusacademy@sbcglobal.net

www.antaeus.org

(818) 506-5436

Auditing welcome.

The Antaeus Academy offers advanced training in the classics to actors ages 18-35. A project of the Antaeus Company, the academy trains actors in classical styles in a series of 12-week scene study workshops. Classes meet weekly and are moderated by a rotating group of Antaeus Company members, directors, and acting teachers. Moderators have included: Andy Robinson, Daniel Sullivan, Dakin Matthews, Alfred Molina, Annette Bening, Gregory Itzin, Stephanie Shroyer, Tom Moore, Olympia Dukakis, Brendon Fox, Jonathan Lynn, Art Manke, Sabin Epstein, Jessica Kubzansky, Jeffrey Nordling, Andrew Barnicle, and Kate Burton, among others. Antaeus co-Artistic Director Jeanie Hackett hosts each session. Each workshop culminates in a scene presentation for invited guests, and actors who complete two 12-week sessions become eligible for promotion into the Antaeus Academy Company. All actors participating in the classical styles are eligible for casting in Antaeus Company readings, workshops, and productions. Admission to workshop by audition only; will consider professionals and beginners with strong potential. $400 if paid in full; $150 per month.

JENIFER PARKER - NO FEARE SHAKESPEARE

nofeare@aol.com

(626) 398-6301

Parker offers private coaching for auditions, workshops, and classes in classical acting. She received her training at American Conservatory Theater, Shakespeare & Company, and with Patsy Rodenburg. For more than 15 years, she has taught techniques designed to help the contemporary actor become more confident in handling Shakespeare, including scansion, text analysis, historical context, characterization, vocal techniques, and period customs and mannerisms.

A NOISE WITHIN

234 S. Brand Blvd.

Glendale, CA 91204

education@anoisewithin.org

www.anoisewithin.org

(818) 240-0910, ext. 5

A Noise Within is one of only a handful of theatres in North America that maintain a resident company performing in rotating repertory on a year-round basis. The company's resident and guest artists, directors, and designers have trained at Yale School of Drama, Juilliard, CalArts, and American Conservatory Theater. Conservatory classes include Speaking Shakespeare, Acting Shakespeare, and the Young Actor's and Teen Actor's Workshops. The internship program, offered in fall and spring, provides an opportunity for developing actors and technicians to immerse themselves in every aspect of repertory theatre and to work side by side with professionals to hone their skill. Interns are cast in understudy and supporting roles in the company's rotating repertory season.

WILL GEER THEATRICUM BOTANICUM ACADEMY OF THE CLASSICS

Ellen Geer

artistic director

1419 Topanga Cyn. Blvd

Topanga, CA 90290

academy@theatricum.com

www.theatricum.com

(310) 455-2322, ext. 222

This summer repertory company and 300-seat outdoor amphitheater in the Santa Monica Mountains is also home to a professional theatre training program that was launched more than 30 years ago by actor-director Ellen Geer. For adults, offerings include a five-week, 90-hour summer Intensive Shakespeare Seminar; a four-weekend, 65-hour winter Intensive Shakespeare Seminar; spring and summer eight-week Shakespeare scene study and monologue workshops; a winter eight-week master class in classical theatre (taught by Ellen Geer); a variety of technique workshops (improvisation, fencing, Alexander Technique, rhetoric, text analysis, period movement, voice, and speech), as well as an Equity-candidacy Acting Internship Program. All instructors are working professionals in the theatre world. Youth and teen classes and summer camps are also offered.

COMEDY AND IMPROV

This listing includes standup comedy workshops and coaches, as well as classes and teachers who use improvisation, comedic or not, as a tool to create characters and develop material. In general we have not included those that use improvisation primarily as an acting exercise, though this distinction is often hard to make definitively. Check other categories for more details.

ACME COMEDY THEATRE

135 N. La Brea

Los Angeles, CA 90036

www.acmecomedy.com

(323) 525-0233

ACME Comedy Theatre offers five levels of improv/sketch-comedy classes. The basic level deals with fear issues in relation to performing or public speaking. Intermediate focuses on scene work and group dynamic. Advanced looks at individual character work. In the writing lab students write 10 sketches that culminate in a performance. Also monthly audition/placement classes.

ACTORS IMPROV STUDIO

10707 Magnolia Blvd.

North Hollywood, CA 91601

www.actorsimprovstudio.com

(818) 790-3413

A free audit is permitted.

Bill Applebaum, founder of Actors Improv Studio, is a Chicago Second City alumnus with more over 20 years of teaching, direction, acting, and writing experience in stage, film, and TV. Offers ongoing improv workshops that help actors and writers become more creative, spontaneous, and relaxed. Also offer an ongoing cold reading class using Meisner-based techniques.

BANG COMEDY THEATRE

457 N. Fairfax Ave.

Los Angeles, CA 90036

www.bangstudio.com

(323) 653-6886

14 students maximum; auditing available.

L.A.'s oldest home of long-form improv, Bang's conservatory has been training Los Angeles actors (including some of the stars of "Desperate Housewives," "The Producers," "Quinceañera," and more), writers, and innocent bystanders for more than a decade. Bang is known for bringing truth to actors' comedy. Its continuing semester-based improv classes take students from basics through complex character work and long-form improvisation in a little over a year. No audition required.

BARB & STEVE NORTH'S COMEDY WORKSHOP

www.funnycoach.com

(818) 347-5098

Steve North ("the Comedy Coach") and his wife Barb's Comedy Workshops offer a complete comedy development environment from beginner to professional, including private lessons and three levels of workshop/performing groups. Comedians studying with the Norths perform regularly in their "Beyond Standup" show. The workshops and private lessons focus on the North's "comedic character" method of training performers to be comedians rather than comics. A well-known comedy team, the Norths have performed on more than 30 network, syndicated, and cable TV shows.

Comedian Bobbie Oliver teaches three ongoing standup comedy classes in eight-week sessions. StandUp Academy graduates have gone on to appear on The Tonight Show, Bravo, E!, at the Aspen Comedy Festival and more. Class ends with a graduation show in the main room.

TERRY BOLO

(323) 650-5968

Bolo was an original founding member of the Groundlings. "Gary Austin taught us very well, and in that tradition I like to stress the basics," she explains. Her half-day crash course in improv familiarizes actors with the rules and structure, and costs $40. The course is designed for actors at any level, and also to help writers and comics develop material.

COMEDYSPORTZ LOS ANGELES

www.comedysportzla.com

(323) 871-1193

Limited class size.

This approach to improvisation organizes teams of performers in athletic-style competition. L.A.'s own 18-year-old professional team offers beginning, intermediate, and advanced improv workshops, plus a Sunday Team that performs for the public. Workshops run in eight-week cycles for $295; discounts are available.

THE EMPTY STAGE IMPROVISATIONAL COMEDY THEATRE

www.emptystage.com

(310) 470-3560

Empty Stage offers basic and intermediate improv classes as well as drop-in advanced classes. There are weekend performances by the Waterbrains, the Transformers, Vodka and Donuts, Pop, Fortune Room, and Being Humans, as well as sketch shows on Thu. at 8 p.m., featuring members of the improv classes. A one- time registration fee is required.

THE GAY MAFIA IMPROV COMEDY WORKSHOP

www.thegaymafia.net

(323) 634-2820

This workshop is led by Mike Player, director and head writer for the improv/sketch comedy troupe The Gay Mafia and a graduate of the Warner Bros. Comedy Writers' Workshop. All levels are welcome. There are performance opportunities. Sketch writing and standup instruction are also available.

THE GROUNDLINGS SCHOOL

www.groundlings.com

(323) 934-4747

This 30-year-old sketch comedy institution, home of the famous Groundlings performing troupe, offers improvisation classes in a "safe, structured, supportive" atmosphere. Students must audition into a basic level, which teaches the fundamentals of improvisation, a guide to improvisational choices, and self-confidence through the use of theatre games and improv exercises, priced at $450 for the 12-class session. Students may also take a beginning-level class as part of the Groundlings Extension courses (no audition required), which introduces the rules of improvisation, priced at $225 for six sessions. The second intermediate level, writing lab third level, and an advanced fourth level require instructor approval. The classes are taught by current Groundlings and alumni. Sessions begin every six to 12 weeks; specific registration dates are available on the website or telephone line.

HARVEY LEMBECK COMEDY WORKSHOP

Helaine Lembeck, Artistic Director

www.harveylembeckcomedyworkshop.com

(310) 271-2831

Private coaching available; audits by arrangement only.

Emmy-winning director Michael Lembeck and his sister Helaine Lembeck took over these comedy classes 22 years ago, 19 years after the late Harvey Lembeck began the workshop. The workshop has three levels but is aimed at the trained working actor who wants to specialize in comedy. The workshop is designed to teach the actor how to play comedy legitimately in a scene. It uses improv as a tool to enhance comedic skills for sitcoms, TV, and film. The students participate onstage three or four times each night. Audits by arrangement only. Critiques by teacher only. Private coaching available. Former students include Robin Williams, Penny Marshall, John Ritter, Kim Cattrall, Bryan Cranston, John Larroquette, Jenna Elfman, Ted McGinley, Marilu Henner, Mary Kay Place, Lenny Clark, Alan Rachins, Scott Baio, David Leisure, Sally Kirkland, and Sharon Stone.

IMPRO THEATRE

1727 N. Vermont, Ste. 211

Los Angeles, CA 90027

www.improtheatre.com

(323) 401-6162

The focus of this nonprofit improv company, home of LA Theatresports, is telling stories. The company teaches all levels of improv classes, including an Improvising Plays and Films class in which students study film genres, playwright styles, and time periods, and then improvise from there. Master classes are also offered on a variety of subjects such as character, using improv in commercial auditions, improvising with your emotions, improvising musicals, and physical improv.

IMPROV COMEDY WAY WITH ANDY GOLDBERG

www.offthewallcomedy.net

(310) 283-4027

Private coaching available.

A member of the Off the Wall improv group since 1975 and author of "Improv Comedy" from Samuel French Press, Goldberg has been teaching for more than 20 years. His ongoing classes emphasize character development through exercises, games, and scene work.

IO WEST

6336 Hollywood Blvd.

Hollywood, CA 90028

www.iowest.com

(323) 962-7560

Born in Chicago 25 years ago, IO is best known for its long-form improvisation, including the signature form "The Harold" (and for its alumni: Mike Myers, Andy Dick, Tina Fey, Chris Farley, and Andy Richter, to name a few). IO West offers six levels of improvisation classes and three levels of writing classes. Improv and writing classes meet once per week for eight consecutive weeks. Additional workshops include sitcom writing, musical improv, and audition workshops. Stage time is guaranteed with showcase and performance opportunities in the improv and writing classes. New classes begin every eight weeks.

JACQUIE LOWELL'S IMPROVISATION CLASSES

www.jacquielowell.com

(858) 581-0050

Lowell has taught improv in San Diego for the last 30 years and has performed with and directed several improvisational comedy performing troupes, which currently include Creative Urges (www.creativeurges.com) and Mission Improvible (www.missionimprovible.com). She teaches creativity workshops for business and education. Classes are held in the Mission Hills area of San Diego.

JUDY BROWN'S STAND-UP COMEDY WORKSHOP

judybrowni@usa.net

(310) 396-8425

Private coaching available.

Brown's workshop is designed to help students learn how to turn their natural sense of humor into a professional comedy act, as well as to showcase their performance skills. Along the way, she says, they'll learn comedy timing, delivery, and joke writing, and graduate with a comedy monologue (also suitable for auditions). Advanced coaching for comedians is also available.

JUDY CARTER'S STAND-UP COMEDY WORKSHOPS

www.comedyworkshops.com

(310) 915-0555

"I tell people, 'Your life doesn't suck; your life is a joke, and you can make money from being funny,'" says Carter, a veteran of 55 television shows and author of "The Comedy Bible" (Simon & Schuster). She teaches how to transform life experiences into a standup comedy act, a one-person show, or a sitcom script and offers three levels of standup classes. She also produces the California Comedy Camp in Palm Springs.

L.A. CONNECTION COMEDY PRODUCTIONS

13442 Ventura Boulevard

Sherman Oaks, CA 91423

www.laconnectioncomedy.com

(818) 710-1320

Artistic Director Kent Skov, a member of the DGA and WGA, trained with the Committee and with Second City founder Paul Sills. His 30-year-old comedy institution, L.A.'s longest-running improv company, offers performance and training for all ages, including an adult improv repertory company that provides four levels of training and allows members to perform (with pay) before a live audience on a weekly basis. LAC performs and has training camps all over Southern California and has appeared at trade shows, corporate/private events, and in industrials, and has produced two feature films. Skov also teaches a class in scene-based dramatic and comedic improvisation. Auditions are required.

Improvisation, cold reading, scene work, monologues, audition practice, career guidance-Carney specializes in guiding actors to trust their instincts, overcoming nerves and anxiety. Actors learn to give a full performance in a cold reading, to create truthful characters on the spot, to not judge themselves, to follow their impulses. This kind of work gives actors tremendous freedom. Classes are $40 per class or $140 for four classes. Call for an interview.

JODI MILLER

(323) 525-0202

Miller is a veteran of standup at venues such as the Improv, the Comedy Store, and the Ice House for more than a decade. She offers a standup course separate from the curriculum at the ACME Comedy Theatre, The class consists of four group classes, three private lessons, and a final performance, after which the student receives a DVD of his or her five-minute routine.

MUSICAL IMPROV WITH MICHAEL POLLOCK

www.michaelpollock.com

(323) 466-1714

Pollock, author of "Musical Improv Comedy: Creating Songs in the Moment," book and CD, now in use at the Second City Training Centers-is music director of Second City Los Angeles, as well as IO West's Opening Night: The Improvised Musical. He teaches musical improv classes.

PAUL RYAN'S CBS ACTING ACADEMY AND TV HOSTING STUDIO

paul@paulryanproductions.com

www.paulryanproductions.com

(818) 788-2190

Ryan says he "stretches the actor in every way possible to become comedically free." Through his innovative comedy improvisations and revolutionary comedy scene techniques, he helps actors hone and fine-tune their craft for sitcoms and comedy roles in TV and film. In his 13th year at CBS Studio Center, he has also worked as a comedy consultant and sitcom director in Europe. He also teaches the CBS TV Hosting Intensive once a month, as well as periodically shooting footage on location for the TV-hosting demo tape, hosting agent and comedy showcases and conducting Hollywood conversations with top industry professionals.

SANDI C. SHORE'S STAND UP COMEDY WORKSHOP

sandi@sandishore.com

www.sandishore.com

Shore offers four- and eight-week sessions. A textbook is required: "Sandi Shore's Secret to Standup Success," available at online bookstores or wherever books are sold. Workshops are held at the Comedy Store at 916 Pearl St., La Jolla. (858) 454-9176.

THE SECOND CITY TRAINING CENTER

6560 Hollywood Blvd., 2nd floor

Hollywood,

training.la@secondcity.com

www.secondcity.com/tcla

(323) 464-8542

The Los Angeles Training Center offers classes in improvisation and sketch comedy year-round for actors of all ages. Called the "Ivy League of Comedy," the Second City has trained many of the country's leading comedy actors, writers, and directors. Its alumni include John Belushi, Bill Murray, Alan Arkin, Tina Fey, Stephen Colbert, Sean Hayes, Steve Carell, Harold Ramis, and more.

STEVE KAPLAN'S COMEDY INTENSIVE

skcomedy@aol.com

www.kaplancomedy.com

(818) 718-7570

Kaplan's Comedy Intensive is a two-day comedy workshop designed specifically for actors and solo performers. With a limited enrollment, the workshop is designed as a hands-on performance workout where the tools and techniques of the course are explored through exercises, improv, and theatre games. On the second day, those techniques are applied to scripts, scenes, and solo shows, with an emphasis on sitcom script analysis, performance, and sitcom audition tricks and techniques. Kaplan has taught at UCLA, NYU, and Yale, and is a consultant for DreamWorks Animation.

COMMERCIAL ACTING

The following institutions and individuals specialize in training for commercial work. Many of the larger institutions listed under "Acting Schools and Classes" and "Acting Coaching" also offer commercial training; check those listings for a complete look at training in this area.

CAROLYNE BARRY'S COMMERCIAL, IMPROV, AND ACTING WORKSHOPS

www.carolynebarry.com

(323) 654-2212

In her 30-plus years in the commercial business, Barry has been an audition teacher since 1982, appeared in more than 400 national TV commercials, done the casting for hundreds of commercials, directed an Off-Broadway musical, has two published tape programs for actors on the market, and currently is a contributing writer of the Commercial Break column for Back Stage. Barry's programs offer commercial, improv, and acting workshops. Each division has separate workshops for the beginning, intermediate, and professional actor. She also offers specialized classes for improv for commercials, personal packaging, and a multimedia audition technique workshop. Barry and her staff of professional teachers offer 14 workshops. Classes range between six and 12 weeks; fees range from $355 to $495, and she offers payment programs and use of credit cards. Class sizes are limited, and an interview is required.

JEFF GERRARD CASTING INTENSIVE FOUR-WEEK COMMERCIAL WORKSHOP

www.jeffgerrard.com

(818) 782-9900

10 students maximum, private theatrical coaching also available.

Jeff Gerrard Casting has been offering this commercial intensive class for over 25 years. This four-week workshop is offered only four times a year and covers the business and technical side of commercial acting, including specific kinds of commercial demands: eating, singing, m.o.s., props, cue cards, dialogue-driven spots, and improvisations with fellow actors.

Ron Michaelson, the "Ditech Guy" and a working actor for more than 20 years, teaches beginning and advanced on-camera commercial classes. His school, based in Tustin, also offers an improv class, a cold reading technique class, and a scene study sitcom class.

SANDRA MERRILL COMMERCIAL CLASS

www.sandramerrill.com

(323) 662-7720

Merrill teaches on-camera commercial classes out of Castaway Studios for beginning, intermediate, and advanced students. A former casting director and talent agent, she offers an insider's perspective into the casting process and successful audition techniques. Class focus includes comedy dialogue, spokesperson, and personal interview. Students are guaranteed to work on-camera every class.

STUART STONE CASTING

www.commercialacting.info

(323) 866-1811

A casting director for commercials, voiceovers, film, print, and television, Stuart Stone has created a commercials workshop to teach actors how to audition for the audition and excel in booking jobs, with a variety of techniques designed to help forward your career through your auditions. He is the author of "Acting Out: Your Personal Coach to a Money-Making Career in Television Commercials." The workshop-an intensive taught over four weeks, one class per week-is designed to help students learn what advertisers and directors are looking for, how to get callbacks and turn the callbacks into bookings, find the inside understanding of what makes a successful working commercial actor, and more. He usually has a waiting list.

CONSERVATORIES AND UNIVERSITIES

The following schools offer two-year acting programs. Many offer other shorter programs in a variety of plans and performing-related areas.

ACADEMY OF ART UNIVERSITY

Acting School

www.academyart.edu/ep/acting-school/index.html

(800) 544-2787

Founded by artists for artists, the Academy of Art University, San Francisco, offers an expanded and accredited AA, BFA, and MFA programs. These classes assume a love and dedication to the acting craft. All classes are taught in world-class facilities with top industry professionals.

AMERICAN ACADEMY OF DRAMATIC ARTS

1336 N. La Brea Ave.

Los Angeles, CA

www.aada.org

(323) 464-2777 or (800) 222-2867

12-25 students per class.; no auditing; ongoing.

The oldest acting school in the English-speaking world, the Academy was founded in 1884 on the East Coast to train actors in the basics of their craft, and the Los Angeles branch, founded in 1974, continues the tradition with its two-year conservatory program, culminating in an Associate of Arts degree in acting. Areas covered in the conservatory program are acting, voice and speech, movement, theatre history and styles, fencing, makeup, musical theatre, and Shakespeare, among others. There's also an on-camera class in the second year where actors apply what they've learned to filmed media. A select group of students are accepted into a third-year repertory company, which produces plays. Additionally, a six-week program for younger actors ages 14 and older is offered over the summer. Also in New York: 20 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016 (800) 463-8990.

AMERICAN CONSERVATORY THEATER

30 Grant Ave., 6th fl.

San Francisco, CA 94108-5800

mfa@act-sf.org

www.actactortraining.org

(415) 439-2350

Class size varies; all levels; ongoing.

A consistent leader in actor training according to U.S. News & World Report rankings, ACT graduates participate and provide leadership at all levels of the entertainment industry. The Conservatory trains actors of all ages and levels. Its Master of Fine Arts program is for individuals who, after serious consideration and self-evaluation, have chosen acting as a profession. This highly selective graduate program offers a rigorous three-year course of training designed to educate and stimulate the most creative, promising young actors, selected through nationwide auditions. The Summer Training Congress offers professional training to students ages 19 and older with prior theatre training or experience. The STC consists of one eight-week intensive and one two-week classical studies course, ending in a class presentation for fellow students, conservatory faculty, and staff. Studio ACT is the company's part-time evening and weekend acting program designed to provide affordable and convenient classes for beginning through professional-level students. ACT's Young Conservatory for ages 8-19 offers classes in acting, musical theatre, voice, speech, audition, improv, movement, and more. The STC, Studio ACT, and Young Conservatory teaching staff consists of members of its regular conservatory faculty and distinguished guests. All instructors are working professionals. ACT is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

CALARTS SCHOOL OF THEATER

24700 McBean Parkway

Valencia, CA

www.calarts.edu/ and http://theatercalarts.com/home

(661) 253-7853

8-15 per class; auditing by special permission only.

The Cal Arts School of Theater is one of the nation's leading professional training programs with a training environment designed to support the creation of new work and original interpretation. Productions and class work complement each other, challenging students to redefine performance on the basis of an appreciation for theatre traditions. The school encourages students to develop skills, take risks, and fully commit to the collaborative process.

EAST WEST PLAYERS ACTORS CONSERVATORY

Marilyn Tokuda

120 N. Judge John Aiso St.

Los Angeles, CA 90012

mtokuda@eastwestplayers.org

(213) 625-7000, ext. 15

8-12 students per class; auditing permitted with permission of the arts education director; ongoing.

East West Players, the nation's premier Asian Pacific American theatre, offers classes and a year-round Conservatory that provides a comprehensive curriculum for those honing their craft as professional actors or those seeking a means of personal expression. Students range from 17 to 65 years of age, have skill levels from beginning to advanced, and are of diverse ethnic and economic backgrounds.

ORANGE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL OF THE ARTS

1010 N. Main St.

Santa Ana, CA 92701

www.ocsarts.net

(714) 560-0900, Fax: (714) 664-0463

Class size varies; auditing not permitted.

Celebrating over 20 years of excellence, the Orange County High School of the Arts is nationally recognized as a premier arts school. OCHSA embraces and encourages artistic creativity and academic excellence. This innovative public charter school provides bright and talented students with a nurturing environment focused on individual growth, opportunity, and diversity.

PACIFIC CONSERVATORY OF THE PERFORMING ARTS

at Allan Hancock College

800 S. College Dr.

Santa Maria, CA 93454-6399

www.pcpa.org

(805) 928-7731

15-25 per class; auditing by permission only.

The PCPA Theaterfest (Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts) has trained theatre professionals for over 40 years, gearing its conservatory program toward serious students. Each year, 30 actors enter its two-year program. PCPA's faculty of resident artists are made up of working professionals and dedicated educators. Students graduate with approximately 76 units of lower-division drama credit, useful for transfer. PCPA also has articulation agreements with public and private universities around the country.

PROMENADE PLAYHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY

1404 Third Street Promenade

Santa Monica, CA 90401

www.promenadeplayhouse.com

(310) 656-8070, Fax: (310) 656-8069

Class size varies; auditing permitted.

The Promenade Conservatory offers full and part-time programs for actors and industry professionals and private consultation, providing a warm and supportive atmosphere that encourages risk-taking, commitment, and discipline. Its American International Program for Film, Television, and Stage Artists is a member of the National Association of Schools of Theatre and is registered with the Bureau for Private Post Secondary Education. Admission by interview only.

THE RUSKIN SCHOOL OF ACTING

3021 Airport Ave., Studio 113

Santa Monica, CA 90405

info@ruskinschool.com

www.ruskinschool.com

(310) 390-4212, Fax: (310) 397-4920

John Ruskin was Sanford Meisner's apprentice, first studying with him in New York, continuing in Bequia, then teaching for him at the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York. Ruskin then founded the Ruskin School of Acting in Los Angeles in 1986 as the West Coast representative of the Neighborhood Playhouse. Acting teachers here were trained directly by Meisner and/or Ruskin. The school in Santa Monica offers a two-year course of study in the Meisner technique, as well as a master class for those who have completed the two-year program at either Ruskin's school or the Neighborhood Playhouse. Professional actors from outside the school are considered as well. Anthony Hopkins has taught the master class and worked with students on Chekhov, Shakespeare, and Pinter as well as contemporary plays. Other guest teachers and lecturers include Anthony Franciosa, Dylan McDermott, Carol Burnett, and Eve Ensler. The school offers classes in Alexander technique, commedia dell'arte, voice, and movement, as well as an introduction to the Meisner technique at various times throughout the year. Additionally the school offers classes for young adults and children. The Ruskin Group Theatre produces a season of plays with its company members and includes outreach programs in the community. Admission to the school is by interview with Ruskin.

THE SANFORD MEISNER CENTER

5124 N. Lankershim Dr.

North Hollywood, CA 91601

admissions@themeisnercenter.com

www.themeisnercenter.com

(818) 509-9651

Class size varies; auditing is allowed.

Founded in 1987 by Sanford Meisner, this is the only school founded by Meisner and authorized to use his name. Headed by Martin Barter, the center's technique is taught in a two-year program; students must be invited back for the second year. Classes are taught by Barter and Alex Taylor. Four-week intensives are also offered, as well as graduate-level scene-study classes. The center now also offers classes on the business of acting, screenwriting, and directing.

The following teachers and schools offer training and coaching primarily for musical theatre. Other organizations and individuals throughout this issue also offer training that applies to musical theatre; check other categories for details.

AUDITION SUCCESS WITH MICHAEL SARTOR

musicinla@msn.com

(818) 763-4898

L.A./NYC vocal coach and frequent audition pianist for shows such as "Seussical," "Mamma Mia!," "The Producers," and "Bombay Dreams," Sartor has coached thousands of performers seeking to develop musical theatre performance skills. Students explore all aspects of performing musical theatre material by developing their skills in voice, acting, and movement. He maintains a library of musical scores and special material, and he says he selects songs that are a perfect match for each client's specific needs. He helps students prepare a book of musical theatre songs that will allow them to succeed at any audition. He accepts adults, teens, and children as students for private coaching throughout the year at his Studio City studio. He is currently the chair of musical theatre and production at the new American Musical and Dramatic Academy L.A. campus, a job he performed at the NYC branch for 14 years. He says he has present and past students appearing in almost every musical on Broadway, including Tony winner Marisa Winokur in "Hairspray" and Christopher Sieber in "Spamalot." He offers all musical services, arranging, transcription/transposing, and digital recording.

BILL HALLER-VOICE TEACHER

http://anuptempoandaballad.blogspot.com

(818) 780-8240

Bill Haller trains singers in pop/Broadway belt technique. He was named one of the top private coaches in Back Stage West's 2006 Best of L.A. readers' poll.

CAROLE D'ANDREA

www.caroledandrea.com

(310) 281-7116

Audits allowed.

D'Andrea's 50-year career includes the original Broadway "West Side Story" (also the film) and "Gypsy." She has directed productions of "Company," "Bye Bye Birdie," "Guys and Dolls," and "Damn Yankees." D'Andrea offers courses on singing performance, as well as acting classes on scene study, cold reading, monologues, and exercises.

Rishton offers private piano and voice coaching with an emphasis on musical theatre, "to capture the heart of the audience." He trained at McCune School of Music in Salt Lake City, Utah, and was a member of Utah Opera Company in the 1980s. He has taught music in Los Angeles since 1992. All levels, tailored to student's interests.

OTHER

This is a grab bag of various performance training-related teachers and programs that didn't seem to belong squarely in any of the previous categories.

THE LEARNING ANNEX

www.learningannex.com

(310) 478-6677

Premier producer of seminars, lectures, workshops, and expos for adults. One-night classes offered on a variety of subjects.

MAKE-UP DESIGNORY

129 S. San Fernando Blvd.

Burbank, CA 91502

information@makeupschool.com

www.mud.edu, www.makeupschool.com

(818) 729-9420

Make-up Designory was formed in 1997 by a group of school administrators and instructors to bring excellence to makeup education. The school is a nationally accredited (ACCSCT) private postsecondary institution that provides makeup training, studio hairstyling, and portfolio development for those who wish to have a career in the film, television, and print industries. Programs and classes are taught year-round, and evening classes are available. Auditing allowed. Applicants must be 18 years of age and have a high school diploma or GED. Private instruction is available.

OVATION EARPROMPTER TRAINING AND SALES

www.earprompter.com

(888) 327-7766

The Earprompter allows you to deliver your lines without memorizing or notes, and with minimum preparation time. Actor, public speaker, and consultant Brian Collins has been conducting his one-day Earprompter seminar for actors and corporate speakers for 20 years, and he says, "Never memorize another line. The Earprompter takes the anxiety out of auditioning, acting, and public speaking."

PROFESSIONAL LIFE COACHING

Morgana Rae

www.charmedlifecoaching.net

(310) 704-9566

Morgana Rae is a certified master results coach, published author, and seminar leader with over 10 years experience helping entertainment professionals leverage their strengths and thrive in the business. She co-leads workshops with transition coach and talent manager Heather Rem titled "Take Command of Your Career: Mastering the Inner and Outer Game for Success in the Entertainment Industry."

As this organization reminds us, stuttering hasn't stopped actors like Nicholas Brendon (Xander in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer") from making their mark in Hollywood.

PHYSICAL THEATRE/MOVEMENT

This listing includes groups who use markedly physical approaches to performance, to create material and/or to hone the acting instrument. You may perceive an overlap with the "Comedy and Improv" or "Combat" listings; make sure to check those too, to be sure you find what you're looking for.

BODY SPACE

www.kinepathics.com, www.tantrawisdom.com

(310) 471-2934

Through visionary impressions, imagination, voice, tantra yoga, and movement improvisations, Anita DeFrancesco teaches her students to "learn to characterize presence and form, while exploring 'in the moment' consciousness through sensation, breath, emotion, intuition, and the 'thoughted motion.' "

DANCE FOR THE ACTOR - THERESA HAYES

Theresa Hayes

8205 Santa Monica Blvd., #1-132

West Hollywood, CA 90046

dancefortheactor@aol.com

www.dancefortheactor.com

(310) 923-4787

Offers dance classes specifically for performing artists. Theresa Hayes ("Sophisticated Ladies," "Dreamgirls," "The Tap Dance Kid") is a cum laude graduate of UCLA, where she received her B.A. in theatre arts. Weekly and private classes available.

MIME THEATRE STUDIO

www.mimetheatrestudio.com

(866) 444-MIME

In the only year-round mime classes in Los Angeles, MTS teaches actors, dancers, comedians, singers, and storytellers how to "make the invisible visible," using the body to express thought and emotion, and how to physicalize the actor's interaction with his environment. MTS director Lorin Eric Salm is a three-year graduate of the Marcel Marceau Paris International School of Mimodrama and has been teaching for 15 years.

SOLO SHOWS

The following programs specialize in developing one-person or solo shows for performers and writer-performers.

IRENE PINN: THE ART OF THE ONE-PERSON SHOW

pinnwheel@earthlink.net

(323) 650-2391

Weekly classes in writing and performing a solo show are taught by Emmy and Theatre World Award-winning director-producer Irene Pinn.

STACIE CHAIKEN WHAT'S THE STORY? STUDIO

whatsthestory2@mac.com

www.whatsthestory.us

(310) 450-1312

The workshop was designed by Chaiken as an opportunity to develop solo work in a group process, and try things out in front of a friendly audience on a regular basis. The class is useful for actors who want to create solo work, writers who are wrestling with autobiographical or historical material, and storytelling artists who want to bring greater depth and immediacy to their work. Chaiken teaches acting and solo performance across the United States and abroad.

TRAVIS-JOHNTZ

solo@travis-johntz.com

www.travis-johntz.com

(323) 848-9800

For the past 16 years, Mark Travis and Frederick Johntz have been involved in the development of solo shows for hundreds of actors and performers. They offer workshops, seminars, and private coaching, geared toward the development of solo shows.

Terrie Silverman leads the program designed to guide actors through the process of developing and performing a solo play, whether the actor is looking for a way to begin, continue, or polish material in a supportive, safe environment. Spontaneous writing exercises, movement, music, and drawing allows students to write and create organically. The student crafts the work through feedback, improvising, writing, and performing. Classes culminate in a works-in-progress performance.

SPEECH/VOICEOVER/DIALECT/SINGING

The following institutions and individuals specialize in training for voiceover, vocal production, singing, and dialect training. Many acting schools and coaches also offer training in this area; check other categories for details.

ACCENT ON ACTING - ADAM LeGRANT

www.accentonacting.com

(323) 878-2288

LeGrant trains the non-native English speaker in speech and drama, including accent reduction and speech training in Standard American English, audition preparation, and cold reading techniques. He also offers monologue and scene work. Group classes and private sessions are available. Admission is by interview.

ACCURATE ENGLISH

13101 Washington Blvd., Ste. 231

Los Angeles, CA 90066

www.accurateenglish.com

(310) 568-0077

Lisa Mojsin, M.A., speaks five languages, has an acting background, and has taught at the college and university level. She helps her students learn to speak accurately and clearly, and to "gain confidence to go after the roles they really want." She primarily offers one-on-one courses and doesn't pressure students to pay for a number of lessons in advance; they pay as they go.

ALISO CREEK PRODUCTIONS - WILLIAM WILLIAMS

www.alisocreek.net

(818) 954-9931

4-6 students; free studio visit with consultation is available.

Williams has been producing commercials for 20 years. His six-week classes in commercial and animation voiceover meet in a recording studio under real-life performing conditions. Classes are limited, so students gets plenty of mike time, and his voiceover demo tapes emphasize each actor's abilities.

ANGEL DIVA MUSIC

www.angeldivamusic.com

(818) 888-5885

Accomplished actor, singer, songwriter, and record producer, Jan Linder Koda creates radio-ready recording packages for motivated singer-songwriters. She specializes in artist development, writes or co-writes songs with clients, and records songs in her state-of-the-art Pro Tools studio. Artists may sell their songs on her label/website.

A graduate of Northwestern University with a B.A. in speech and music, Beatrice teaches vocal production, how to increase power and range, diaphragmatic breathing and placement, and self-confidence for auditions in all styles. She has appeared on television with Janet Jackson, Steve Allen, and Melissa Manchester, and she is the teacher of two winners of the Heroes and Legends Scholarship Awards.

BEVERLY BREMERS' VOICERCISE

www.voicercise.net

(949) 874-0616

Working voiceover professional Bremers offers voiceover classes and pro workouts in Orange and San Diego counties and also produces voiceover demos and house minutes. In addition, Bremers offers classes in accent reduction, singing, songwriting, and cold reading, and private consultations for all.

BONNIE BIZOZA

(818) 783-0473

Through her company Accent on Accent, Bizoza offers accent/dialect training and accent reduction for beginners and established professionals. She is a licensed speech therapist and an experienced dialect coach. She provides private training using a multisensory approach adapted to the student's learning style to achieve authentic, natural speech patterns. Individual classes, as well as on-set coaching, are available.

LUCILLE BLISS

(415) 824-8188 or (323) 667-1169

"Working legend" Bliss teaches private voice-acting lessons. Her work focuses on career training, interpretation, mike techniques, audition procedures, and animation. In short, Bliss works to develop a "sound that sells" and gets each student to produce a voice tape. The March 1999 issue of Animation magazine named Bliss as one of the best teachers in her field.

BREATH

Natsuko Ohama

breathnatsuko@aol.com

www.natsukoohama.com

(818) 754-2400

Natsuko Ohama, a teacher of Kristin Linklater's approach, conducts private coaching and group classes. She uses exercises that involve breath, sound vibration, physical work, emotions, thought, and text. She says she works with actors to "undo habits and inhibitory blocks that limit them."

ADELE CABOT

(818) 368-1365

Cabot is a designated Linklater voice teacher and acting coach. Her other specialties include audition coaching and acting Shakespeare.

CAROL TINGLE VOICE STUDIO

www.caroltingle.com

310-828-3100

Tingle, a performer and voice teacher for almost 40 years, works with singers of all ages, levels, and styles. She offers private instruction and performance workshops in her Santa Monica studio. Emphasis is placed on the development of the voice within the style of the singer, as well as safe, healthy vocal production, audition preparation, and alleviating performance anxiety.

LOUISE CHAMIS

(818) 985-0130

Chamis' workshops are a place for voiceover actors "to learn, to work out, and to stretch." Students analyze copy to find out what they are selling and how best to sell it. There is generous mike time. Everything is recorded. She also works with students to create a repertoire of various cartoon characters. Chamis discusses how to audition and how to get work, and she also creates CDs, separate from the class. She has been teaching for 26 years. Chamis is the voice of the Queen in Snow White in all current Disney projects

CORFF VOICE STUDIO

Bob Corff

www.corffvoice.com

(323) 851-9042

Veteran performer and voice/performance coach Bob Corff is author of "The Bob Corff Speakers Voice Method" on CD or tape and "The Bob Corff Singers Method" on CD or tape, and along with his wife, Claire (with whom he has written and produced the CD and workbook "Achieving the Standard American Accent"), offers private and group lessons on how the voice works and how to make your speaking voice work for you in the best possible way. He gives breathing and vocal exercises for power, range, and stamina. Corff works on songs and performances. Corff also continues to teach accents and accent reduction. The Corffs recently created their New Accent Series workbook and CD. English, Southern, French, Irish, and more.

Deborah Ellen has been involved with the Seth Riggs Speech Level Singing Technique for over 11 years. She offers private lessons in vocal technique and artistry. DEVS is designed to develop flexibility, consistency, vocal strength, and individualized stylization. All levels welcome.

DEBORAH SHULMAN VOICE STUDIOS

www.deborahshulman.com/teaching.html

(323) 851-7344

private coaching available.

Whether you need to extend and improve your vocal range, eliminate a stubborn vocal break between registers, improve resonance in the speaking as well as singing voice, or learn how to sell a song, there are practical solutions to each specific problem. Along with vocal technique, Deborah Shulman teaches performing strategies, how to find your own performance personality, and, most importantly, she helps you increase your self-confidence as a complete performer. Shulman has been a performer, teacher, director and producer in Los Angeles and New York City for many years. She has performed and taught successfully in all styles - from classical to pop, stage to rock, to the recording studio. Private and group classes are available.

DIAMANTE VOCAL STUDIO

(323) 466-7881

Edward Diamante teaches a speech-level technique that has supported 112 Grammy Award winners while they were recording. He helps actors who don't sing professionally but who want to learn to control their voices through exercise, or who have injured their voices through laryngitis or other vocal illness.

DOLORES DIEHL VOICEOVER CONNECTION INC.

www.voconnection.com

(213) 384-9251

Small class size; all levels; ongoing.

Voiceover Connection, Inc., offers workshops, workouts, and seminars in the areas of commercials, animation, narration, audiobooks, audio drama/comedy. Levels are basic through pro. Courses are directed by Diehl and taught by voiceover agents, casting directors, publishers, and producers. "Individual feedback from every director." Located at sound studios in Hollywood, Valley Village, North Hollywood, and Santa Monica. Offers make-ups for sessions missed.

JESSICA DRAKE

(323) 662-1831

The Juilliard-trained Drake has been coaching actors in dialect and speech for more than 20 years, with credits that include "Memoirs of a Geisha," "The Pink Panther" with Steve Martin, "Catch Me If You Can," "L.A. Confidential," "Forrest Gump," "The Green Mile,"" HBO's Band of Brothers," and "Six Feet Under." She also coaches actors for Shakespeare.

ROBERT EASTON

(818) 985-2222

Easton is best-known as the "Henry Higgins of Hollywood Inc." for his extensive and highly specialized dialect coaching, which has resulted in many nominations and awards, including Oscars, Emmys, Golden Globes, SAG, and Cannes Film Festival awards. In addition to his dialect workshops, Easton has also taught more than 2,600 students comedy improv, characterization, and cold reading classes.

ELISABETH HOWARD'S VOCAL POWER ACADEMY

www.vocalpowerinc.com

(800) 829-7664

Howard, founder of the Vocal Power Academy, is an internationally acclaimed vocal technician and vocal stylist. A Juilliard graduate and on the vocal staff at Pepperdine University, she has conducted vocal technique workshops in 10 countries. She and her Vocal Power associates offer training in vocal technique and style for musical theatre performances, songwriters, and all blues, jazz, rock, R&B, country, and opera.

ELIZABETH BURNETTE

elizburnette@aol.com

(310) 967-4405

Burnette specializes in teaching Standard American English to actors who need to speak English flawlessly without any detectable accent for film, television, and stage. Private sessions: 1.5 hours. Small classes: 2.5 hours. She has been coaching in L.A. for 10 years.

ELOCUTION SOLUTION

harriet@elocutionsolution.com

www.elocutionsolution.com

(800) 597-9691

free evaluation.

Elocution Solution's speech pathologists offer individual or group sessions in voice and diction for actors, including breathing, relaxation exercises, pitch adjustment, projection, resonance, and voice care. They also work with actors on reducing or acquiring accents and learning specific speech patterns such as those associated with hearing difficulties, strokes, and stuttering. Additionally they specialize in articulation and tongue thrust therapy. Free evaluation. Located in the San Fernando Valley.

Allen offers professional voice-strengthening and problem-solving for speech or singing, onstage and in the studio. as well as audition/demo preparation. All ages, levels, and styles.

JULIE OSBURN'S VOICE RE-TRAINING

(310) 989-2803

Osburn teaches a combination of body work: breathing exercises with Pilates and Alexander to strengthen support muscles and release tension in the body. She then teaches vocal therapy exercises together with singing exercises that use the body's relaxed strength to center and focus the sound. She additionally teaches musical theatre performance, audition preparation, and voice intensive technique for actors.

KALMENSON & KALMENSON VOICE CASTING

www.kalmenson.com

(818) 342-6499, ext. 11

The owners of Kalmenson & Kalmenson commercial voice casting service have spent over 25 years educating actors. Voiceover classes are available for all levels and are taught in the same full-service recording studios where auditions are held daily. Improv and scene study classes also offered.

KELLY REITER: REEL ENGLISH

www.reelenglishcoach.com

(323) 957-4758

Standard American dialect specialist Reiter has been coaching actors in L.A. since 1989. Her character study approach gives her students the tools, confidence, and professional American voice they need, from getting an agent to getting the part. Her clients are from overseas and out of state. She taught at UCLA for 11 years. Assessment interview required.

PHILIP KING (KROOPF)

(310) 276-7587

King, formerly with Joseph Papp NY Shakespeare Festival, director of the New York School of Announcing and Speech, and founder of AMAS Repertory Theater, with years of teaching experience in New York and Los Angeles, offers one-on-one coaching in cold readings, interp, dialect, speech.

DARLENE KOLDENHOVEN

darlene@darlenekoldenhoven.com

(818) 980-2840

With a master's in music education and voice, Koldenhoven offers vocal coaching and techniques for projection, diction, breathing, pitch, and rhythm. She teaches all styles, levels, and ages. Her new book with 7 CDs, "Tune Your Voice," is a new program to teach students how to sing by training the mind's musical ear along with vocal exercises.

M.J. LALLO

4020 W. Magnolia Blvd, Ste. K

Burbank, CA 91505

www.creatingvoices.com

(818) 980-6576

10 students maximum.

Award-winning voiceover artist Lallo has worked for Disney, Universal Interactive, Fox Kids, TV Guide, GNC, and has done more than 100 commercials, CD-ROMs, and feature film ADR. She has been teaching commercial and animation voiceover for 12 years. The classes for adults and children are held at her recording studio. Advanced classes are directed by professionals in the voiceover industry.

This Clio-winning casting director and producer instructs beginning, intermediate, and advanced actors on the tricks of the trade in developing a successful radio/TV voiceover career, through his 20 years of audio production with Cashman Commercials, one of the top VO production companies in the country. Students can audit a class for free (he encourages it) and pay in installments when they sign up.

MARJORY TAYLOR'S VOICE MASTERY

(310) 246-1743

Marjory Taylor has operated her own voice school, The House of Voice (now known as Voice Mastery), for over 18 years. She teaches voice building, diction, (Standard Broadcasting American English), commercials, cold reading, accent correction, and other aspects of communication and performance.

SANDI MASSIE

(818) 903-4016

Massie is a coach for voice, speech, dialects, and accent reduction. She has been teaching and coaching theatre, television, and film for the past 20 years. She teaches relaxation, breath support, resonance, diction, and many other aspects of voice.

MASTERINGVOICEOVER.COM

Dan Balestrero

www.masteringvoiceover.com

(310) 575-4321

10 students maximum, private coaching available.

Dan Balestrero teaches classes that range from beginner to pro, how to break in, and demo production. Balestrero has 25 years' teaching experience and has taught at Robert Redford's Sundance Institute. His clients have worked for virtually all the major advertising agencies and motion picture studios. .

MARY McGREGOR

(818) 762-0309

McGregor works to combine the necessary techniques to help you "free your sound." Says McGregor, "In acting and in singing it is necessary to understand what your instrument can do for you. I help guide you through that realization."

MENTOR LANGUAGE INSTITUTE - MICHAEL BUCKLIN

mail@mentoresl.com

www.mentoresl.com

(310) 887-0777

Private coaching available.

This institute offers accent reduction for actors, taught by Bucklin, who is a graduate of Neighborhood Playhouse taught by Sanford Meisner and a professional voiceover talent from New York. His workshop combines the Meisner technique with original accent reduction exercises to help non-native speakers of English learn basic acting technique while improving their language skills.

VANESSA MIZZONE

vmizzone@hotmail.com

(310) 968-7631

Mizzone offers private voice and speech coaching for actors. She holds an MFA and is a Santa Monica College Theatre Arts adjunct faculty member and former voice and speech instructor at UCLA. Her vocal technique is based in the Linklater method with a Skinner approach to speech.

George Crowell has run this coaching and training facility since 1980 under the name Voice Bank (later changed to Original Voice Bank). Crowell is a veteran voiceover performer with more than 20 years' experience. His credits include Budweiser, Chrysler, Toyota, Datsun, Pream, and an NBC Movie of the Week. Crowell teaches is one-on-one and proceeds on two tracks: first, the basics ("good, intelligent interpretation of the written material"), and second, characterization. He's also equipped with a state-of-the-art studio for making voiceover digital demos.

CARLA PEREZ

cjperez-gtn@charter.net

(818) 409-9619

Carla Perez has a master's degree in voice performance and has been teaching and singing for...a very long time. She teaches beginners through advanced students a "full-body presence" technique-singing from head to toe-addressing vowels, breath, support, musicianship, interpretation, and stylistic nuance. Students often refer to her teaching style as freeing and nonthreatening.

PROFESSIONALLY SPEAKING WITH JULIE DANIELS

(818) 623-8960

Professionally Speaking offers private coaching in voice, speech, and accent reduction. Emphasis in training includes proper breathing techniques, articulation, projection, and interpretation, with the goal being "a fully textured voice that sells your strengths as an actor." All ages welcome.

RICHARD FREDRICKS: I TEACH ANYONE HOW TO SING!

metbariton@aol.com

www.richardfredricks.com

(310) 838-3355

Fredricks' career started in a Santa Monica nightclub, moving to musical comedy, the New York City Opera, and the Metropolitan Opera as a leading baritone. Fredricks has brought back the voices of Andy Williams, Howard Keel, Pat Boone, Renata Scotto, among others. He teaches the breath support/breathing technique he has used for more than 40 years and coaches everything, from pop to musical comedy, to opera.

RICK ZIEFF'S UNBELIEVABLY FUN VOICEOVER CLASS

(323) 651-1666

Rick Zieff teaches mike technique for TV and radio commercials, animation, narration, and audiobooks. As a busy voiceover actor, director, and casting director, he emphasizes the importance of character development, text analysis, and making strong creative choices at the microphone. He guides actors through preparing a demo that will be their "calling card" to the voiceover world. He cast the Academy Award-winning animated short "The ChubbChubbs!" and directed the animated feature "Steamboy" (starring Patrick Stewart and Alfred Molina). Rick coaches adults and children at his studio in West Hollywood. Rick's fun, fast-paced style makes him one of L.A.'s most sought-after teachers for adults and children.

ROY SAMUELSON

THE VOICE OVER WORK OUT LOUNGE (VOWOL)

roysamuelson@gmail.com

www.vowol.com

(310) 439-9036

VOWOL offers a "playful and positive gym" for actors to work on recordings at a recording studio, learning from guest hosts.

SANDY HOLT/VOICECASTER

(310) 271-8217

private coaching available.

Sandy Holt, a Chicago Second City alum, teaches a voiceover workshop that covers sharpening audition skills and booking the job, making the copy your own and being original, making money, having fun playing different characters, and improvising and learning recording techniques. Holt produces demos custom-made to the actor's talents. The workshop is for actors who want to book work in commercials and animation.

ALAN SHATERIAN

(310) 824-2720

Shaterian has a Ph.D. in linguistics and phonetics, and offers private coaching in speech and dialect, foreign languages, and character preparation.

THE STEVEN MEMEL STUDIO

www.stevenmemel.com

(818) 789-0474

Memel has had a multifaceted career as a singer, actor, and director, as well as being an internationally acclaimed teacher. He has experience in all areas of the arts and has worked onstage, in film, on television, and in the recording studio. He developed The Memel Method for Voice and Performance which helped everyone from beginners to Grammy Award-winning recording artists Maroon 5.

SUSAN BLU and CYNTHIA SONGÉ

voiceoverworkshops@gmail.com

www.blupka.com

(818) 763-8500

Small classes; all levels.

Susan Blu, voiceover actor and voice director, and Cynthia Songé, casting director at Blupka Productions, voice actor, producer and director of VO demos, teach classes in voiceover for commercial and animation. Students get tons of booth time. The two recently authored the rewrite of Word of Mouth, a tool of voiceover technique and information.

The Voicecaster is celebrating its 30th year casting for radio and television commercials, as well as industrials, animation, narration, CD ROMS, voices of toys, and more. Huck Liggett, owner and head of casting, and his staff work on voiceover skills from microphone technique to translating and breaking down copy, as well as introducing the most current trends in advertising. Says Liggett, "Our approach is focused on exploring and discovering the strength of each individual so that he or she would have a better idea of how to approach VO professionally. We meet each student at the level they bring to a class and help them build from that point." Courses meet in four- and six-week sessions, $300-$550. No auditing. No requirements for admission to beginning levels; higher-level classes require prior professional VO training.

Meyers teaches techniques for a successful career in voiceovers. He has 25 years' experience hiring and directing voiceover talents for national and local radio and TV spots, narrations, promos, books on tape, and interactive CD-ROMs. Meyers is now accepting a limited number of talented beginners (adults and children), as well as working professionals. Sessions are available by appointment only. Meyers offers a free introductory meeting, affordable rates, in Valley Village. Meyers is considered one of L.A.'s most experienced voice-over directors.

The following institutions and individuals train performers in stage combat exclusively, but other schools offer combat classes as well. Check other categories for details.

COMBAT AT BEVERLY HILLS FENCERS' CLUB

combat@robertabrown.com

www.swordcombat.com

(310) 266-5151 or (310) 204-0085

Private coaching available; auditing by permission.

Instructors are professional fight directors and swordmasters whose screen credits include "Charlie's Angels," "Master and Commander," and "ER." They provide classes, workshops, and private coaching for actors in combat for screen and stage, with a particular focus on swordplay. Regular workshops focus on specific weapons and on-camera skills through choreographed fights that are rehearsed to performance standard. All levels.

DAVE LEA'S MOTION PICTURE STUNT/FIGHT-TRAINING

6318 San Fernando Rd.

Burbank, CA 91201

daveleastunt@earthlink.net

www.davelea.com

(818) 603-9696

The level of screen fighting has been raised. Students can advance their on-camera fighting skills in various fighting styles-including weapons, basic to advanced; fine-tune hand combat and kicks, including kickboxing. Lea has worked with several actors. Credits include "The Island," "Daredevil," and :Batman Returns." He is a member of the American Choreography Committee. Salsa dance classes also offered.

FILM FIGHTING L.A.

www.filmfightingla.com, www.taowesttaichi.com

(310) 447-8438

The Film Fighting L.A. club is a group of people learning to safely but realistically act action scenes for film, television, and theatre. Classes include a stunt fighting class. Monthly workshops include European swords, Asian weapons, Filipino weapons, Shao-lin and Hong Kong fighting. Robert G Goodwin, founder, trained Christian Bale for "Batman Begins," is sword master for Kristanna Loken, Ron Perlman, Illeana Douglas, and Jason Lewis. Goodwin has taught Tai Chi for the 25 years.

SAMURAI ACTION STUDIO

www.samuraiaction.com

(310) 849-1466

Michi Yamato teaches Japanese stage combat include karate, sword fighting, gymnastics, and trampoline techniques. He is a former member of the original "Power Ranger" stunt team and coordinated more than 100 episodes as a stunt coordinator.

SWORDPLAY FENCING STUDIOS

www.swordplayla.com or www.timweske.com

(818) 566-1777

Tim Weske's SwordPlay, with locations in Burbank and Reseda, teaches all edged weapons, including Olympic-style fencing. Ongoing film and stage-combat classes and private lessons focus on extreme detail to safety, balance, footwork, and confidence in memorization of choreography. Each class is taught in Weske's privately owned studios. With 20 years of experience, Weske has taught thousands of students and choreographed thousands of fight sequences.

YOUNG PERFORMERS

The following institutions and individuals train young people exclusively, or nearly so, but many schools and coaches in all fields, listed elsewhere in this issue, also offer programs for young people. Check other categories for details.

ACTING FOR CHILDREN & TEENS AT EDGEMAR CENTER FOR THE ARTS

2437 Main St.

Santa Monica, CA 90405

www.edgemarcenter.org

(310) 399-3666

Private coaching available.

Edgemar, made up of two state-of-the-art theatres in Santa Monica, offers on-camera, cold reading, and acting and improvisation classes for ages 6-17. Students perform in a showcase for parents and agents at the end of the eight-week session. Fantastical Story Hour for ages 3-6: Children create through costume character, storytelling, and music an enchanted magical kingdom and explore their creativity and dramatic flair.

BARB NORTH THE KIDZ KOACH

22647 Ventura Blvd., Ste. 422

Woodland Hils, CA 91364

barb@funnycoach.com

www.funnycoach.com

(818) 347-5098

North works privately with children and their parents in what she calls "a fun and nurturing environment." She is a working writer, producer, performer, and manager. North teaches children acting and audition strategies, and she works with parents "to help navigate the business."

BB'S KIDS ACTING WORKSHOP WITH BELINDA BALASKI

Belinda Belaski

www.bbskids.com

(323) 650-5437

10-16 students per class.

Balaski has been acting since age 5. She has more than 40 years of experience in the business and has earned an L.A. Drama Critics Circle Award, two Robbies, and several Emmy nominations. For the past 18 years she has been teaching kids and teens in a variety of eight-week classes: Commercial Workshop (5-18), Adult Commercials (18 And Up), TV & film acting (9 and up), music video/theatre (7 and up), tot's acting (4-8), monologues (8 and up), Shakespeare classics (10 and up), sitcom (10 and up), dialects & voiceovers (8 and up), teen improv (10 and up), modeling: print & runway (8-25), auditions with casting director (10 and up), and parent seminars. Classes are limited to 10-16 students. All classes are taped, with live/tape showcases at graduation for agents and parents. The eight-week sessions start in January, April, July, and October.

CARTER THOR STUDIO "ON THE MARK" YOUNG ACTOR CLASS

12417 Ventura Ct.

Studio City, CA 91604

(818) 760-9426

The studio now offers a class for young actors, 9-18, that it describes as "revolutionary." The goal is to help young actors develop confidence and fluidity in front of the camera through the understanding of scene study, script analysis, and cold reading. The studio strives to create a safe space for young actors to freely and profoundly express their individuality. Placement in class is determined upon enrollment.

HARRIET GREENSPAN

(818) 266-6698

A casting director for over 20 years, Greenspan currentlys casts for the Nickelodeon network. Past credits include features, MOWs, pilots, soaps, and series. Greenspan offers private coaching and intensive workshops for kids, teens, and young adults.

SEAN HOWSE

sean@actingforteens.com

(323) 309-7718

All levels; auditing allowed.

Howse has been teaching acting to teenagers for nine years. He trained under Joanne Linville and Stella Adler and incorporates those techniques. Classes run in three-month semesters, and each semester ends in a performance.

JOY THEATRE - JOSH and JANIECE JARY MINNICK

The Raven Playhouse

5233 Lankershim Blvd.

North Hollywood, CA 91601

jnj@joytheatre.com

www.joytheatre.com

(818) 505-9355

Joy Theatre offers classes in comedy geared to give young actors the tools and talent to be confident and funny onstage and in the world. Joy has ongoing weekend and after-school programs, as well as an on-camera class. The theatre also offers weekly comedy shows for all ages.

K12

www.k12.com

(866) 968-7512

K12 is an online curriculum provider for students in grades K through 12. It has a patented system for virtual schooling that includes online lessons, built-in assessments, planning tools, and traditional materials such as books, art supplies, and scientific equipment. "If you need a school or learning program designed to meet the needs of young professional performing artists, K12 can provide you with one, no matter where you live or how often you travel," say the folks at K12. Full-time and part-time programs available. Courses, which meet or exceed state standards, include honors and AP and can include certified teacher support. Tuition-free options in certain states.

KIDS ON CAMERA

Phil De Champlain

stopdreaminactors@yahoo.com

www.stopdreamin.com

(818) 500-0037

Phil De Champlain's coaching is based on his own experience as an actor, writer, and director for over 15 years. Students discover what makes them unique inside. Class focus is on on-camera auditioning, cold reading, improvisation, and film and TV scene study. Private tutorials are also available.

LAGUNA PLAYHOUSE - YOUTH THEATRE

donna@lagunaplayhouse.com

www.lagunaplayhouse.com

Donna Inglima, (949) 497-2787, ext. 202

This acclaimed regional theatre offers a variety of acting and creative drama classes ongoing for youths ages 6-18. Classes are taught by theatre professionals in 10-week sessions after school. The summer institute program, called Summer Stars, offers two-week classes in music theatre and acting each July.

MARNIE COOPER SCHOOL OF ACTING INC.

www.marniecooper.com

(818) 760-8009

An acting teacher and coach with over years' experience, Cooper offers advanced classes (ages 5-21), private coaching, on-set coaching, and weekend workshops. She specializes in audition preparation and recently published a how-to acting book for children and their parents (available at www.howdoiact.com).

QUIT ACTING!!

5312 Radford Ave., #5

Valley Village, CA 91607

www.quitacting.com

(818) 437-1911

Laura Lasky's ongoing monthly sessions for kids and teens are designed to help her students "find out what's holding [them] back and quit it." Her small classes and private coaching emphasize on-camera and audition training, "because the audition is the job."

STACY REED

reed@theblank.com

(323) 662-7734

Producer of the award-winning Blank Theatre Company, Reed teaches an ongoing class for children and teens at the 2nd Stage Theatre. These classes combine professional training with creative dramatics in an environment that is challenging and nurturing and include: slating and interviewing, energy, and personality, mock auditions, listening and memorization, self-expression, commercial skills, hitting marks, working more effectively with props and partners, taking direction and adjustments, and set etiquette.

THE SANTA MONICA PLAYHOUSE EDUCATION CONSERVATORY

theatre@santamonicaplayhouse.com

www.santamonicaplayhouse.com

(310) 394-9779

This conservatory, now in its 46th year, offers extensive training for actors from beginners through professionals, year-round. A variety of workshops for all ages, preschool through adult, focus on audition technique, communication skills, musical theatre, character development, movement for the stage, voice, and performance, with a new Theatre Skills Crash Course. Alumni bring their youngsters so that they can share in the process. "I could not wait until tomorrow came so I could go again," says Jeffrey, age 9. "I made my stage debut at Santa Monica Playhouse," says Kate Hudson.

TOTAL IMPROV FOR KIDS

totalimprov4kids@aol.com

www.totalimprov.com

(818) 481-8072

Premier improv school for children, ages 8-21. Teaches children the art of improvisation from beginning to adult level. Students have successfully performed in some of L.A.'s hottest comedy clubs and national festivals.

TRACY MARTIN/KOACHING KIDS & TEENS

mstracyco@aol.com

www.tracymartin.com/koachng.htm

(818) 752-8487

10 students maximum per class; auditing for agents and managers only.

Since Martin's classes began in 1998, over 20 agencies and managers have referred young students to her. Many of her students are series regulars, guest stars, and co-stars on TV, or leads and co-leads in films; many have been seen in national and regional commercials. Martin offers a teen cold reading class, a beginning-to-intermediate acting class for ages 12 and up, and acting classes for 8- to 11-year-olds and 5- to 7-year-olds. All are eight-week classes. One-day intensive voiceover classes are offered, as well as private lessons and same-day audition coaching. Classes in Toluca Lake.

THE YOUNG ACTOR'S STUDIO

5215 Lankershim Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA

www.youngactorsstudio.com

(310) 281-7545

Auditing is allowed.

Class Act offers coaching and training for young actors, ages 4-18, and uses the basics of the Stanislavsky system help young actors learn to use their unique qualities in their acting. A full conservatory day or a choice of individual classes-including stage combat, comedy improv/ voice, audition technique, acting technique, and production-is available. The full faculty includes Artistic Director Jeff Alan-Lee and Kerry Muir, who taught kids and teens at Lee Strasberg in New York and L.A. Adult class also available.

YOUNG ACTORS SPACE

info@youngactorsspace.com

www.youngactorsspace.com

(818) 785-7979

This school for young professionals, started in 1979, offers weekly classes for students, ages 5-adult, in scene study, improvisation, audition techniques, and sensory work. Private coaching and career consultation is also available. Patrick Day, director, has coached hundreds of actors in starring roles in television, film, and stage. "Explore the joy of acting" is the school's motto. A list of successful students is available on the website.